Latent Loveliness
by Ladyreason
Summary: Bellatrix gets in one last curse before her defeat which causes Hermione to fall into a deep sleep... She'll only awaken to one man's kiss. And boy, will she awaken. eventual SSHG pairing
1. Sleeping Beauty

General disclamer-I do no own anything. All characters are JK Rowling's (however I do thank her for coming up with such brilliant ones!).

This is my first piece up on fanfiction.net. All comments are welcome and encouraged. Thanks to _Shruu_ for betareading.

-The lady of Reason

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Inside the Hogwart's infirmary the only sound was the soft wind tapping a tree branch against the window outside as Severus Snape observed the young woman on the bed. His leg was over the chair arm, his elbow rested comfortably on the leg and the fist held his chin up as he watched. She was wrapped up and tucked in tightly with a white sheet and truthfully, there wasn't much there to observe. She breathed deeply, as if asleep. Well, she was. It was just a matter of getting her to wake up.  
  
He snorted softly. Why would he want the goddamned, insufferable, know-it- all Gryffindor to wake up? Maybe it was because of the bemoaning that Potter and Weasley seemed to exude every time they came to the castle. Or the constant whining and pleading they made with the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey not to send her to St. Mungo's incurable magic wing. She was, after all, just asleep. Where did it matter where she was? It didn't. She'd be asleep even if she were in a cave with no one there to watch her.  
  
He narrowed his eyes in thought. She'd sleep... no matter what.  
  
Severus Snape bounded out of the chair, his robes flapping around him as he walked briskly out of the hospital wing and back to his study in the dungeons.   
-------------  
"Soporus!!"  
  
Hermione fell, her knees scrapping painfully along the stone floor. She didn't even voice her pain, she couldn't really feel it anyway, as she was unconscious before her body began its tumble.  
  
The small portrait room off of the Great Hall had become a deadly trap for anyone who dared to enter it searching out the various Death Eaters who'd invaded Hogwarts just hours before. Bellatrix Lestrange knew this and delighted at the pile of students who were laying over one another around the inside of the door. This last girl however, one she'd seen before and knew to be Potter's friend, put up a fight. An impressive fight at that. She threw spell after spell before this last one, a lark of a curse, knocked the girl out.  
  
She walked over to her, still weary, and kicked Hermione with her boot. "Avada...." She raised her wand and was thrown off her balance as arms wrapped around her waist and knocked her to the ground over Hermione's form.  
  
"Why you little..." Bella saw a flash of red hair and growled, "Not another one." She moaned. "Aren't all of you dead yet?!" She still had her wand at least and at this striking distance could easily kill the boy without the killing curse.  
  
It was not to be however as Ron bit down on Bella's hand, causing her to screech. Oh, that was a nasty little trick! She pushed him, forcing him up and staggering away, her wand hand came up and she began to speak again, "Cru.." not even making it that far as Ron cried out, "Expelliarmus," her wand flying out of her hand and landing behind her somewhere.  
  
Bellatrix grumbled something under her breath and found her only defense was to jump behind a pillar of stone, "Damn you, boy!"  
  
"Damn you, Bellatrix!" Ron shouted back, "You can't hide behind there forever! Accio wand!" As Lestrange's wand flew past her she made a grab for it, but missed, the wand landing neatly in Ron's hand.  
  
She chanced a look around the pillar. He was bloodied and hurt, she saw from her quick glance. Several cuts ran down his cheek and one side of his clothing hung from his body like rags. Someone hand dragged him over stones maybe before he'd gotten the best of them. Crabb likely. He loved to drag people around. A small smile crossed her lips. Wonder what happened? She thought to herself.  
  
The dark eyes of the Death Eater darted around the portrait room. The figures in the paintings had of course had long departed, for fear of a miscast spell tearing their canvas. She then saw it- a mirror. She made a leap for it, grabbing its frame and pulling hard. Ron gasped; surprised Lestrange would make a bold move out into the open. He aimed, "Stuptify!" Just as Bellatrix turned. The spell hit the mirror and dissipated across the surface.  
  
"Hah! Accio Wand!" Her wand flew from Ron's hands and as soon as it was in her grasps, "Crucio!"  
  
Ron fell to the cold stone floor. He knew it was cold distantly as he tried to block out the spell. His blue eyes clenched shut as his teeth ground to keep him from screaming out. Groans did come through though and the next thing he recalled was looking up at the dark, almost serine face of Bellatrix Lestrange.  
  
"Foolish boy. For being a pureblood, you're awfully dumb. Sure your mother didn't have an affair with a Muggle?" She laughed and held up her wand again, "It is unfortunate I can't play with you. I would so love to watch you writhe like the mudblood lover you are." She pointed the wand directly at Ron's face and he clenched his eyes shut. This is it. I'm dead...  
  
"Avada Kadavara!"  
  
Ron's eyes opened to a green light filling the room, but no pain. He frowned as Lestrange's body fell heavily over his and he gaped as she stared at him. Shock laced the heavily lidded eyes and they no longer bared arrogance, but death.  
  
"Oohh, Bloody HELL!" Ron pushed her off of him and scrambled away, scooting on his sore rump away from the body. His eyes widen as he swallowed. Slowly, he looked up to find Severus Snape standing in the doorway, his wand still raised, pointed at the body of Bellatrix. He lowered it slowly and then blinked, looking over at Ron. "There are advantages of playing both sides." He explained, and walked into the room the rest of the way. His eyes scanning the floor for life from the other students piled around the door.  
  
"Hermione," Ron pointed, "She's still alive."  
  
Snape's dark eyes landed on the Gryffindor and walked over to her, crouching next to her form, "Ennervate." He pointed his wand, but the girl didn't wake. He checked her pulse, strong and steady. Though he was sure he cast the right spell he tried again, "Ennervate." Nothing.  
  
"I don't think she was stunned, Professor," Ron crawled the short distance to where Snape kneeled next to Hermione.  
  
"I'm afraid you're right, Weasley."


	2. Death to Voldemort

(I don't own HP or characters created by JK Rowling. I do, however, admire them and borrow them for entertainment and imagination) RR encoraged! Thanks!

Reason

* * *

Chapter 2- Death to Voldemort

Harry took the old flowers out of the vase beside Hermione's bed and replaced them with the fresh wildflowers he'd picked before their trip back to Hogwarts today. Ron sat in the chair just looking stunned like he always did and Harry patted him on the back as he crossed to the chair on the other side of the bed. "Cheer up, mate."  
  
Ron glanced up, "Did you find anything this week?"  
  
Harry shook his head, "No, nothing." He sighed as he sat, "Without knowing the spell cast, we're pretty much in the dark."  
  
Ron nodded and bowed his head again, "I wish... I'd just gotten there a second sooner."  
  
"No matter how many times you say that, it's never going to come true, Ron. So stop it." Harry turned back to Hermione's sleeping form and reached up, brushing a wayward curl from her face. Smiling gently, he leaned forward and dropped a chaste kiss on her cheek, "Morning, 'Mione." He said. "Six weeks, friend. You can't stay asleep forever, you know." He chuckled, "You're missing out on all the great learning you would have gotten in your apprenticeship at the Ministry." He tried to sound light hearted, "That and the reform they're going through, Ga!" He rolled his eyes. "They could really use your help."  
  
Ron chuckled softly, "The flat lacks your...um... 'womanly' touch too. I'm sure you'd have Harry and I by the scruffs of your neck if you saw it now." It was their plan to share a flat after Hogwarts and it had not been diverted by these events. There was an empty room still waiting for the Know-it-all's return.  
  
Harry laughed too, but not with enthusiasm he wish he had. He reached forward and took Hermione's hand while Ron took the other, "Come back to us, Hermione."  
  
They sat there in silence for a couple minutes; not wanting to leave yet knowing there was nothing else they could do. The silence was almost deafening. Ron was about to say his farewells to the sleeping Hermione when the quiet was broken instead by a form swishing between the curtains.  
  
"Mister Potter, Weasley. Come with me." The Potions Master's eyes shifted between the recent graduates before he turned his back, his robes making a beautiful black curtain for a moment before disappearing.  
  
Ron and Harry eyed each other, "Merlin... wonder what this is about." Ron said quietly before reaching over, "Later, Hermione. Don't get too excited now. We'll be back soon."  
  
Harry quirked a smile, "Sometimes I wonder if he actually understands we're no longer his students." He stood and motioned for Ron to go ahead of him.  
  
Back, behind the white curtain veil, Hermione slept peacefully.   
----------------  
The war was over... almost. There was one more thing that needed to be done.  
  
Voldemort, also known at one time as Tom Marvolo Riddle, lay on the floor of the Great Hall. The creature he was may have once been handsome, distinguished as a student. There were many girls who admired him back then, not only for his good looks, but also for his intelligence and his supremacy. But the only thing that mattered to him was power and he was never called one too weak to seek it. His body grew into a decrepit, ugly form. Pasty and skeletal, ugly and intimidating. A sight that even his own Death Eaters flinched at.  
  
He, however, was now dead. Finally. And as Harry Potter watched, his body dissolved into ashes. As his spirit rose from the grime on floor, Dumbledore shouted, "Now! HARRY!"  
  
Harry took a duel stance, "_Extermino daemon striga, Extermino daemon striga_!!" He repeated the incantation and closed his eyes as Voldemort's spirit became brighter and brighter. Others in the room shielded their eyes to protect them from the blinding light.  
  
Harry was known as the strongest wizard of his age and it quickly became appearent that he would be the one to defeat Voldemort, or die trying. Harry was so determined that his friends, all those he had ever loved, would never suffer at the hands of this madman again, that he threw all the power he had behind this final spell. "_Extermino daemon striga_!!!" he screamed one last time and a million points of light shot across the hall from the floating spirit. When Harry opened his eyes again, it looked as though the enchanted ceiling above was raining silver stars over the destroyed battlefield of the hall. His green eyes stared in disbelief at the sky above them.  
  
The wonderment of the sight was not to last however. Harry gasped, his stomach suddenly lurching as if he'd fallen from a great height. Next, his brain felt as though it were trying to escape his scull through his ears and eyes- causing unbelievable pain and pressure. He closed his eyes tightly and screamed before falling on the floor, unconscious himself.

-------------

"Nearly died..."

"...saved him... saved her..."

"She won't wake..."

"Ron is watching over both of them..."

"... his scar... is gone."

_

* * *

Extermino daemon striga- _Banish demon spirit. (rough latin translation)

Many thanks to the reviewers! I am so surprised!


	3. The Hangover and a Breakthrough

Harry, Ron nor Hermione belong to me. If they did, do you think I would be living in Oklahoma? I make no money by using them for pleasure and entertainment. RR encouraged!  
I was so anxious to get this chapter up, it was not beta read (Sorry Shruuu!). Please forgive any mistakes and let me know if you find them.  
  
-Reason

* * *

Chapter 3- The hangover and a breakthrough  
  
Harry woke up with the worse headache he'd ever had in his entire life. It was like the time right before his sixth year when George and Fred had spiked his butterbeer at the Weasleys that summer. He groaned in remembrance. No, this was far worse. This was... oh, there was nothing to compare to this.  
  
Even worse was the thrumming that came with Ron's excited yelps, "He's awake! He's awake!!"  
  
Harry flinched at each word, "And I'm going to **_KILL_** you, Ron, if you don't shut the hell up!" he rasped.  
  
"Ah, well, that's good to see," came Madam Pomfrey's light-hearted voice. "Now, if you care to open your eyes, Mister Potter?"  
  
"Do I have to?" His voice was gruff and, as softly as he tried to speak, it still grated on his own headache.  
  
"Ah, yes. Because how am I supposed to administer these eye drops if you won't open them?"  
  
"What's wrong with my eyes?" he carefully tried to open one lid and groaned again as the light made his head hurt worse.  
  
"It's for the sensitivity I assume you have." To which Harry answered with a nod.  
  
"Can I have something for the headache first? I think someone made me drink all of Hagrid's ale."  
  
Ron chuckled as Madam Pomfrey held a vile up to Harry's lips, "Drink," She commanded in a no-nonsense tone. He did so with near pleasure as the liquid (a fresh mint flavor, thank the fates!) slid down his throat and warmed him, instantly dissolving the headache. He sighed with great pleasure and slowly squinted his eyes open. The medi-witch placed two drops of what felt like olive oil in his eyes and that too took quick effect allowing him to see clearly without any pain.  
  
Ron clapped him on the shoulder, "You're bloody brilliant, mate! I have to tell you, You-know-who...err...Voldemort's gone, pft, kapoie!"  
  
Pomfrey gave Ron a side-glance, "Don't keep Mister Potter awake, Weasley. He needs his sleep," she said as she slipped away from the bed.  
  
Ron nodded and then lowered his voice, "Ummm... There's some things I'm supposed to tell you." He shrugged and pulled up a chair, "First off, your scar's gone."  
  
Harry's eyes widened, "What!?" He reached over and yanked open the bedside table drawer, rummaging for a mirror. His other hand instantly went to his forehead to feel for where the scar used to be.  
  
"Yeah, Dumbledore seems to think that Voldemort's powers were connected through that thing. So, with him being gone, you don't need to scar anymore." Ron shrugged. It didn't quite make sense to him, but who was he to argue?  
  
Harry pulled a mirror out and stared, "Well, I suppose Malfoy won't have an excuse to call me scar head anymore." He blinked in amazement at his image then brought the mirror to his lap. "What else is there?"  
  
"It's Hermione." Ron swallowed this time, "She was cursed by Lestrange before I could find her. Not that Hermione can't take care of herself, but you know, we were all trying to stick togeth—"Ron's throat closed and Harry handed him the glass of water off his bedside table. Grateful, Ron nodded in thanks. "...Together. I got there a second too late though and... Oh, Harry!" he seemed near to tears, "I thought she was stuptified, but she's wasn't. We can't get her to wake up."

* * *

"_Bellulus Soporo_" Snape said softly as he opened the book and pointed down at the page with a thin, crooked finger. "Or more commonly known as Sleeping Beauty," Snape snorted, "Bellatrix had a sense of humor. Miss Granger is not a siren by any stretch of the imagination."  
  
Harry made a point to ignore Snape's comment though he saw Ron's fists clench under the chair, "So..." Harry thought it out, "She's under a sleeping spell?"  
  
Dumbledore sat back and steeple his fingers, "More than that Harry. She's under a classic curse. Often thought of a practical joke by Medieval wizards."  
  
Snape picked up the book and began reading. "_Bellulus Soporo_, or the Sleeping Beauty curse, causes the recipient to fall into a nearly unbreakable deep sleep. As Excalibur could only be pulled by one man, the recipient of this curse can only be awaken by one person. Their destined soul mate."  
  
Ron leaped up, "I'll do it!" he yelped, ready to run out of the room without a single thought.  
  
Sitting up, Dumbledore shook his head, "Mister Weasley, we must think this through. What if she doesn't awaken by your kiss... what will you do then?"  
  
Ron's eyes widened, "I...uh..."  
  
"It would be like Viktor Krum asking her to marry him." Harry said without any sarcasm and Ron looked down at him, his face totally fallen and stunned, "Well, it would be!" he retorted to Ron's sullen face.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "It's very possible that Miss Granger's soul mate is someone not even born yet... or even, someone she will not be able to meet before they die. However, I am not discouraging you from trying, I just want you to be aware that its entirely possible she may not be either of your soul mates."  
  
Slowly sitting down, Ron's face fell into his open palms in exasperation, "So, we know what curse it is now," his voice muffled by his hands, "And we can't even break it?"  
  
Severus Snape closed the book in his arm and leaned against the far wall, "Entirely possible," his voice not giving his previous students an ounce of hope.  
  
"What I am asking," Dumbledore continued, "is how will you react if she doesn't wake up to your kiss?"  
  
Harry looked over at Ron who's blue eyes drew up from behind his palms now, "I...I would be regretful, but nothing would change. I would still love her as a friend and will do everything in my power to try and find that person who will wake her." Harry looked back to Dumbledore, "We always seem to be able to work through every problem... even when Hermione couldn't help us, she somehow found a way to encourage us," he shrugged with a small smile.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "And Ron?"  
  
Ron Weasley swallowed and then looked to Harry before turning back to Dumbledore, "Yeah, I feel the same way. We'll find a way, somehow."  
  
Nodding, Dumbledore stood, "Shall we then?" 


	4. A Kiss is just a Kiss

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry, Ron, Hermi, or any other people in the JK Rowling Universe. I do appreciate her however for her support of fan fiction.  
  
RR encouraged. Unfortunately, this was not beta read again. I'm just too friggon anxious. Please let me know if there are any problems.  
  
-Reason

* * *

Chapter 4- A kiss is just a kiss  
  
Dumbledore led the way, his blue and purple robes such a light-hearted contrast to those of Professor Snape's dreary black ones. Harry and Ron follow side by side a few feet behind exchanging words quietly with one another.  
  
"I don't like this," Ron whispered, his eyes on the professors in front of them, "I mean, what if she does wake up? What then? 'Hey, 'Mione. Sorry I had to kiss you. I'm your destined soul-mate. Wanna go to the Weird Sister's concert tomorrow night?'"  
  
Harry smirked and sighed, "She'll understand and whatever happens happens." The worry on his face didn't disappear though as they entered the infirmary.  
  
They all stopped as Madam Pomfrey came out of her office. "May I help you gentlemen?" she asked, her hands clasped in front of her all business like.  
  
"Yes, Poppy. We're here to see Hermione Granger." Dumbledore eyed her over his half-moon glasses. "There has been a development."  
  
Pomfrey's eyes widened, "Oh?" She asked, leading the quad of men over to the curtain shrouded area, "What is it, Headmaster? Did you find the spell, a cure?"  
  
"Yes and yes," He looked in on the bed and gently placed a hand on Madam Pomfrey's shoulder, "The Sleeping Beauty Curse," As he explained Harry and Ron shuffled back and forth on their feet a little, anxious to do this and either wake their friend or go look for other solutions.  
  
"Oh, the poor dear," Poppy whispered and when she looked behind Dumbledore and saw Snape she blanched a little before glancing again at the Headmaster, "Albus, surely...?"  
  
Dumbledore held up a hand and Harry was sure he saw a smile on the old wizard's lips before he pointed to Ron and Harry. Madam Pomfrey let out a sigh and Snape rolled his eyes before stepping around Dumbledore into the curtained area. "Headmaster, the sooner we know, the sooner we can seek other solutions."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "Yes. Poppy?" He opened the curtain further for the medi-witch as well as Harry and Ron. The five of them in the little space made it unbelievably crowded around Hermione's bed. Snape made sure he kept the most distance away while Ron and Harry were closest, Ron reaching for her hand and lacing her fingers in his.  
  
Stepping close to the foot of the bed, Dumbledore nodded to Ron, "Whenever you're ready, Mister Weasley."  
  
Ron swallowed and looked down at Hermione. He paled as he began to bend over and Harry shook his head, "No, no... Let me go first, Ron. If you kiss her, she's going to wake up to a dead fish with cold lips." Harry pulled Ron away who looked slightly abashed as Harry took his place. Sighing deeply, before he lost his nerve, Harry leaned down. Gently he placed both hands on the sides of Hermione's head and kissed her, his lip tenderly caressing hers before he stood once more.  
  
Everyone except Dumbledore and Snape held their breath as they watched. Finally, after what seemed an eternity and no sign of life from her, Harry let go of Hermione and sighed, stepping back. "Well, mate, I'm sure you can do better than that."  
  
Ron swallowed again, but was glad Harry had gone first now. His blue eyes wandered over Hermione's sleeping form and he smiled, the corners of his lips tugging as he took her hand again. When his lips came down on hers, he noticed that they were warm and inviting, his tongue tasting just a bit of those lips before drawing away. Everyone again waited patiently for a sign or stir from the girl, but again there was nothing. Ron swallowed and shrugged. "Well, it would have been too weird." He tried to smile. "She's more like a sister."  
  
Dumbledore smiled, "And she's lucky to have two friends who care enough for her to try and help her like this." He stepped forward, "Now, do either one of you know of other people who are close to Hermione?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "Viktor Krum maybe. They used to keep in touch pretty often."  
  
With his hand still linked with Hermione's, Ron nodded, "And I think Fred or George may have been interested in her... but again... she's too much like family."  
  
"Albus! I can't have boys here in an out trying to kiss one of my patients!" Pomfrey yelped.  
  
"I think, Headmaster, that we may just have to look for other options," Snape stepped out from a shadow on the edge of the curtains.  
  
"Options? What options?" Harry's face turned dark.  
  
Slowly, Snape's dark eyes turned to Harry, "Potions, spell reversals, magical items. Surely, you don't intend to bring in every classmate you had to kiss her. You would agree that's too much like prostituting out your dear friend."  
  
Harry's fists clenched before he nodded in agreement, "I would never do that to her."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "We must think more about this, yes. Until then, Ronald, will you tell Fred and George about this and invite them to Hogwarts? I'll write Viktor Krum personally." He turned and nodded to the boys.  
  
Ron nodded and reluctantly let go of Hermione's hand. Harry reached over and ran a hand over her forehead as well before they both left.  
  
Pomfrey, as soon as the boys had departed huffed, "Albus, my wing is not a brothel."  
  
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile, "No, it's not, Poppy and I promise I will not treat it as such. Miss Granger deserves the highest of respect for her efforts against Voldemort and I would never ever allow her disrespected." He looked down at the girl and sighed, "If you will leave us, Poppy, I have other matters to discuss with Severus."  
  
Pomfrey nodded and Dumbledore turned to sit in the chair near the girl's bed.  
  
"Headmaster..." Snape began, but was cut off as Dumbledore raised his hand, making a soft shushing sound.  
  
"Now, Severus," He looked down at Hermione with a wistful look in his blue eyes, "Ai, if I were only a hundred and twenty years younger." He chuckled and, to Snape's surprise, leaned over and kissed Hermione's lips. Again, with no affect.  
  
Snape appeared mildly disgusted, "May I ask, _why_?"  
  
"Why not?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Love knows no age, Severus. I doubted it, for I believe my soul mate passed on long ago, but what if I had been the one and never tried?" Dumbledore's hand brushed Hermione's and he smiled, "I won't have this girl lying asleep for the rest of her life because of my own misconceptions." He chuckled softly as he stood, "I'll see you at dinner." He waved as he brushed through the curtain barrier.  
  
Snape, mostly stunned by what he witnessed, frowned and looked back at the sleeping Hermione. He then narrowed his eyes and snarled softly before a realization hit him. He whipped around to where Dumbledore had just exited, his eyes wide in astonishment and then back to Hermione on the bed. That old man had really got it in his head that Snape would try to kiss her!? He shivered a little in disgust. Not he, not a Slytherin, would ever kiss a mud-blood Gryffindor! Snape again wrinkled his nose. The thought made him clench in...  
  
He stopped- thinking about what Dumbledore just said, 'I won't have this girl lying in asleep for the rest of her life because of my own misconceptions.' Snape's eyes narrowed in thought. That's why Dumbledore had left. He at least had the sense that if Snape were going to try to kiss her it wouldn't be with anyone else around. Tilting his head, Snape took a step toward the bed. He watched her breath in and out slowly, comfortably, serenely. It was as if she'd taken a drought of peaceful sleep.  
  
The potions master in Snape jarred him. There could be a way... **WITHOUT** kissing the bloody Gryffindor. He backed away slowly, still facing the bed, and tried to push away the thoughts of kissing this sleeping beauty. Because, if there was one thing he had learned, it was never to show his feelings to anyone, especially to those who could use it against him later. 


	5. Denial is not just a River in Egypt

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I just borrow them for your enjoyment. RR encouraged.  
  
Per request, I've tried to make this chapter a little longer. I'm sorry that the chapters are so short. I get a scene in my mind, write it out and it always ends where I want it to, but not as long as you guys would like it to be. Grins  
  
Again, no beta read on this chapter. My betas seem to have disappeared when I need them. Anyone want to volunteer who's as addicted to the 'net as I am and could have a response back to me in under an hour?  
  
Reason

* * *

Chapter 5- Denial is not just a River in Egypt.  
  
Snape closed the curtains tightly and briskly in front of him, cutting off Hermione's sleeping form from him. How could he let his mind wander like that? He would remember this thought many hours later because he was letting his mind wander about wandering when he turned and he nearly ran directly into Dumbledore. "Headmaster!" He hadn't expected the old man to be standing there.  
  
"Didn't kiss her, did you?" Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"Of course not!" Snape lifted his chin. "She's... she's..." he couldn't seem to put the words together. "I would never. I have a little more class than that."  
  
Snape made to step around the headmaster, but Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and sidestepped to block him.  
  
"Severus, I know you probably better than any other person does. As much as you block yourself, your feelings and thoughts from the public eye, I still can see things that even you can not or will not admit." Dumbledore turned and made a motion that invited Snape to follow him.  
  
Snape fell in step beside him and waited until they were out of the infirmary before commenting, "Be that as it may, there may be other solutions."  
  
"Do you think you can find those solutions?"  
  
Clenching his teeth, Snape snarled, "Academically, I will search and ponder until a remedy can be found for Miss Granger."  
  
Though he knew he was treading on dangerous ground, Dumbledore pushed, "Even when the bloody solution may be staring you in the face?"  
  
"Albus-"Snape began.  
  
"Why won't you kiss her?"  
  
Snape stopped and turned to the Dumbledore, "Figure it out," he snarled before he turned and walked in the opposite direction toward the dungeons.  
  
Once in the refuge of the musty smelling dampness, he sat, brooding at his desk. His eyes shifted in thought and his fists clench over and over again in anger. Dumbledore, for as much as he knew about Snape, should know better then to make that mistake. It was his respect for the old man that he did not slam him against a wall.  
  
Severus closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. If it were anybody else, he surely wouldn't have lost his control. If it had been a student, he would have taken points and given them detention until dooms day, but not lost his control. Then why the hell was he on the edge? _Because_, his mind whispered, _you really do want to kiss the girl. _

Snape swallowed and opened his eyes, sucking in breath as the shock ran through his system. Like ice cold water in the morning shower that he used to try and wake himself up. His mind then went about explaining why he wanted to kiss her.  
  
_She's your equal, Severus. With the proper training, she could be as good, if not better in potions. Her defense of the dark arts is good as well, thanks to Potter._ Snape snarled softly at the voice. _She is insufferably intelligent, but with a mind like that, theories would run rampant between the two of you. Her stamina is strong as well. Look what she did with that time turner and she was only in her third year. That would make her an excellent partner for long hours of research, conversation and not to mention the sex."  
_  
Growling, Snape ran his arms over the desk, swiping everything angrily onto the floor. His inkbottle smashed with a sickening crash and ink ran over the floor and papers covering them with the dark black liquid. He stared at the floor as the ink dripped and conglobed around the papers and shards of broken glass. He then cursed himself, bending down to try and rescue papers from the enchanted ink before they were beyond repair. He, of course, was one of the few professors at Hogwarts who used ink that couldn't be cleaned up by magical methods. It made it much easier to change grades that way.  
  
Snape swore again as the rag he swiped over the ink became sodden and soaked through to his hands. He threw it down in disgust and growled again, wiping his hands off on his already black robes.  
  
From the doorway came the sound of a deep laugh, a woman's laugh and Snape's head came up so fast it was hard for his eyes to focus. "Aurora," he murmured and grabbed another rag a nearby drawer, "What do you want?"  
  
Professor Aurora Sinistra leaned against the doorway of the dungeon cavern and watched Snape clean. "Why don't you leave that for the house elves?" Her bright green eyes twinkled with humor that Snape rarely understood. The astronomy professor was only a year younger than he. They both came out of the same house, but where she had come to work for Hogwarts a few years after they graduated, he had been creating terror as a Death Eater.  
  
"Because I won't allow them in here. One accidental elf would send half the castle into orbit. Besides, they've never been able to clean anything right." The rag soaked up the rest of the ink and he tossed it into a bag that would be sent out that evening with his laundry. "Again, what do you want?"  
  
Sinistra stepped casually into the office and cocked her head, "Not much. I was going to remind you the first quarter crescent moon is tonight. It's a good moon to brew some Wondrous Wart Removal potion under." She stared down at the floor where there was still a stain of ink, "I'm sure some Mrs. Scower's Magical Mess Remover will take care of that."  
  
Snorting, Snape picked up the papers and started thumbing through them, hoping some were recoverable, "Mrs. Scower is a two bit hack. I have something more powerful. It can wait." He glanced over the papers, "Why do you need wart removal? Expecting to kiss some frogs and don't want to mess up your complexion?"  
  
Sinistra chuckled softly and sat down across from Severus, "Actually, no. I heard you snap at Albus."  
  
Grumbling, Snape buried his head in the papers, "Keep your nose out of it, Sinistra."  
  
"I will, Snape." She returned with the same tone, "And I won't ask any questions. I'm just here if you need an ear." She reminded. "I take it from what I heard, Granger is under a Sleeping Beauty curse?"  
  
Sighing with exasperation, Snape nodded, "Yes." He responded tersely.  
  
"Potter and Weasley didn't help?"  
  
Snape smirked slightly, "Have they ever?"  
  
Sinistra stood and chuckled again. For a Slytherin, the woman laughed enough! "You and I both know those children are smarter than many that come out of Hogwarts. Especially Granger." She walked behind Snape, her hand falling on his arm and sliding up onto his shoulder. She could feel him tense before her touch became a massage. She smirked and could almost see Snape's eyes roll up as he dropped the papers and grunted softly. She leaned down, her deep voice soft in his ear, "You, friend, are way too tense."  
  
"Leave it to Dumbledore to make my life stressful even though it's the summer holidays." Sinistra could plainly see his eyes were closed now, his dark hair brushing her fingers as she found a particularly tight knot and began rubbing it, "Uggg." He groaned again.  
  
"He's not doing this. You are." Sinistra reminded him. "It was your idea to stay and assist the research for Granger." She eased the muscle to relax then worked her way down his spine, her fingers digging in all the right places and Snape leaned over, allowing her access to all those tight spots, to the point where his head was resting on the desk.  
  
"I know, but the bloody bastard wants me to kiss her." His voice sounded muffled in his arms, "I would rather kiss the shrunken head there," his hand idly waving to the...thing sitting on his desk in a jar.  
  
Sinistra smiled, as it seemed Snape wanted to talk a bit after all, "Would you really?" She looked disgustedly at the jar, "I doubt it would be very responsive."  
  
"And who says..." Snape yawned loudly, "who says she would be?"  
  
Sinistra's fingers dug into Snape's lower back, "Exactly. Considering the curse."  
  
Snape's shoulders shook in a laugh, "You're right, of course. Who says that I could be the one to wake her?"  
  
"No one said that." She agreed, "Albus has always been a bit funny... bloody brilliant mind you, but still a crazy old man." Sinistra's fingers worked for a couple more minutes, her eyes focused in on the strong, tight muscles under her hands.  
  
"If I were to take a guess, I would say you need to get laid, Severus." When no response came from her smartass remark, Sinistra frowned, "Severus?" She stopped before looking over Snape's shoulder and then chuckled deeply, "or you need sleep." She whispered, patting him on the back gently, "I would leviosa you to bed, but I don't think I want to see your bedroom," She smirked and left the potions master there, his head resting comfortably on his arms, peacefully asleep as she slipped out the office door.

* * *

AN: Sinistra is never described in any of the books. The only thing we know about her is that she teaches Astronomy and is female (She dances with fake-Moody during the Yule Ball in GOF). The interpretation that's given here is loosely based off of the character I play on The Order of the Phoenix MUSH (phoenix.silvertree.org port 9034) just so Snape can have somewhat of a confidant in this story. 


	6. Love Potion 9 34

Disclamer: I love the Harry Potter universe. I do not own any of it. I do not make money from it. I only receive great enjoyment from writing about it.

There is also a sexual situation in this chapter. Enjoy or don't read. -You've been warned. -

-Reason

* * *

Chapter 6- Love potion #9 3/4  
  
The potion took exact timing, precision stirring, and intense endurance as Hermione Granger had worked the potion for the last 5 hours without a break. She studied her book over and over during the course of those hours, making sure that everything was correct. Of course with a mind like hers, she probably had it memorized by now and would be able to perform it next time without the aid of the text. She bit her lip, brushing in the last ingredient from her hand into the dark blue liquid bubbling beneath it.  
  
Her hair curled intensely as the humidity and pressure from working made small curls stick to her forehead with sweat. Her light brown eyes watched as her ladle stirred and she checked the text again for indications of any problems. The potion should now be a dark blue, as the night sky, and smell faintly of rose hips, if you have brewed it correctly. She nodded and then turned.  
  
"Professor." She prompted.  
  
Snape had been watching of course, intently. He'd noticed for this extra session of tutoring he'd provided her, Hermione had dressed down from her school uniform and had chosen a short-sleeved shirt and jeans. He noticed how well formed the shirt was, it wouldn't do to have a loose sleeve dipping into the potion and ruining hours of work. She jeans hugged tightly to her hips and shapely legs, still allowing her freedom of movement between her ingredients, cauldron and text. Leave it to Snape to notice the practicality.  
  
He stood from his desk and walked casually over to Hermione and her brewing concoction. He looked down into the cauldron, studying its color and texture. He then bent down, letting the fumes enter his nostrils. "Excellent." He murmured deeply.  
  
Hermione bit her lip nervously, "Thank you, professor." She shifted on her feet, "Would you like to test it, sir?"  
  
Snape's dark eyes slowly slid over to her, "It should brew for another half hour. Then I will test it to make sure it works."  
  
"As if you have a doubt," she mumbled.  
  
"What was that? Miss Granger?"  
  
"Nothing, Professor," She moved to clean up when Snape's hand landed on her shoulder. She stopped and turned around. "Yes?" Oh, how her brown eyes looked up at him so innocently!  
  
"If it works, you'll be rewarded well. I have no doubt of your ability, Hermione," Her name slid from his tongue like honey, surprisingly so and Hermione's face lit in a smile. He released her, allowing her clean up, all the time watching her intently. If she felt his eyes moving over her, she made no recognition of it.  
  
The timer in Severus Snape's head went off at the precise moment as to when the potion was done brewing. He nodded to Hermione and she turned down the heat, removed the cauldron from its pedestal, and carefully ladled some of the potion into a vial. She then handed it to him at where he sat a short distance away. Snape sniffed the potion again and nodded, the scent was perfect.  
  
He closed his eyes, about to lift the vial to his lips, but stopped. Opening his eyes back up, he noticed she looked eager. Leave it to Granger to get aroused from academics. "No." he smirked evilly, "You try it," thrusting the vial toward her.  
  
Hermione's eyes opened wide, "I... but. I can't." She took one step back from Snape as if he were offering her poison.  
  
Snape snorted, "Yes you can... and if you have any confidence in your work, you will."  
  
Her eyes snapped up and she indignantly lifted her head, "Of course it will work," her hand reaching for the vial and took it from Snape's hand. The slight moment they touched Snape felt her quiver and couldn't help but allow the tug at the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Drink it. All of it." He stood, an overpowering presence over the seventeen year old. Hermione looked up at it him, her eyes examining the potions master before she knocked the vial back and swallowed it, feeling the warming feeling spread throughout her body.  
  
She gasped as soon as the vial was away from her lips, her eyes opening wide. Snape reached over and caught the glass vial as it slipped from her fingers before it could crash to the floor, placing it on the table. He continued to watch her without interfering, letting the potion take affect.  
  
Hermione didn't make a sound, her hands clenched and unclenched with each moment as she began to shake and tremble more violently. Her mouth then suddenly gapped wide, sucking in air and letting it out with a moan, her legs collapsing under her. Before she could fall, Snape's arms were under her and he sat on a stool nearby, holding her in his arms with her legs hanging over his own to one side.  
  
Hermione didn't hold back the moans now and closed her eyes, letting the potion do its will. She was liquid trembling in Severus Snape's arms. Though he made no other motion to touch her, he knew what she was experiencing and smirked as he became completely aroused by it. When Hermione's hips began to move in the rhythm older than time, he knew she was nearing her pinnacle and held her closer- tighter. Her trembling and quaking was nearly his undoing.  
  
She finally tensed and with a great yell, she slid limp and slack in his arms. She'd buried her head against his shoulder and neck in that last moment, her fingers clenched his robes, holding on for dear life as she'd rode wave after pleasurable wave the potion had caused.  
  
After a minute, her terse breathing rapid in his ear, Snape's voice whispered roughly, "A much more pleasurable release than manually doing it yourself, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Hermione could only nod at first as she was more stated than she had been in ages. When she could finally speak, her voice was muffled against his robes, "Is..." her voice was gruff and she tried to clear it, "is it addictive? Is there an eventual tolerance to it to the point where it no longer affects the subject?"  
  
"Aye, it is addictive, just like actual intercourse and masturbation is." He murmured into her hair. "And yes, just like constant sexual pleasure, most people develop a tolerance to where it no longer gives them the pleasure they desire." He chuckled in her ear, "Always the scholar, aren't you Miss Granger?" His hand went between her legs, to the center of her jeans. Though she squealed and tried to push away when he touched her, Snape held her still, "If that is the way, then you'll be pleased to learn that sensitivity in your sexual organs after the potion is five times as sensitive for about twenty-four hours." She moaned and shivered, pushing hard against his hand. "And I think you agree."

Tap, tap.

"Uhhh..."  
  
"Good," he murmured and smiled again, "I think I have something else you'll find interesting."  
  
Tap. Tap, tap, tap. Tap, taptaptap.  
  
Snape jarred awake, his eyes widening, trying to focus, trying to remember where the hell he was. It was early morning, very early, from what he could tell and the sun was rising, causing gray morning light to spill throughout the office from his small dungeon window. He groaned and pressed his palms to his eyes. He also had the most painful erection in his life.  
  
Tap,tap.  
  
He remembered that session with Granger, but they never tested the potion on themselves. Snape never liked to do that. His imagination tested it on her, and once as a foolish youth, he'd tested it on himself, but this dream...  
  
Taptaptaptaptap  
  
Frowning, Snape shook his head as he got to his feet, going to the high window where a white owl was tapping insistently. "Bloody bird," he murmured, taking the letter from its leg. It pecked at him and he hit it in the beak with the letter before it hooted hatefully and flew away.  
  
He opened the letter and had to read it twice before his brain kicked in. The owl had been Potter's bird. No wonder it hated him.  
  
_Professor,  
  
It has come to my attention that you wish to help Hermione and though I am very thankful, I ask you the following: Please do not kiss her.  
  
I thank you again for your help and suggestions. If there is anything that is needed from either Ron or myself, don't hesitate to let us know.  
  
Harry Potter_  
  
Snape stared down at the parchment, letting the words sink through his sleepy haze before snarling, "Why that ungrateful, indignant little bastard!" Snape wadded up the letter and threw it across the room. He pulled his robes around himself and sneered, his mind reeling from those words, "'Please don't kiss her?!' You should be lucky you have me to help, Potter. But what gives you the right to ask me that!? If you thought for a moment I could save your friend you would be begging me, you pathetic twerp!"  
  
Snape suddenly knew his decision had been made. He went to the sink in his office, splashed cold water on his face and toweled it off. He took a look in the mirror and narrowed his dark eyes. If she wakes up, she'll have to live with who he is. If she doesn't then he'll have to live with who he is. What did it matter?  
  
He turned, throwing the towel back in the sink before leaving his office behind and heading to the infirmary.

* * *

A/N: For those of you who have been asking. Yes, he will. Next chapter. -Reason


	7. Soul meets soul on lovers' lips

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything you recognize here. I claim no money upon them. I simply write for our mutual enjoyment.  
  
**Acknowledgments**: To Pogovina, my dear girl, for beta-readin'.  
  
-Reason

* * *

_A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point._ - Mistinguett  
  
Chapter 7- "Soul meets soul on lovers' lips"  
  
Snape entered the infirmary and didn't give a moment's hesitation. His mind reeled with what Potter had the nerve to say!  
  
(Little did he know that Dumbledore was in his office chuckling quietly while putting away his ink and parchment.)  
  
Snape tore open the curtain and looked in on the sleeping woman. Hermione's long brown curls wove down her shoulders. Her head slightly propped by the pillow, she was in the exact same position she was in the day before, her arms laying on either side of the blankets. Her breathing was soft, restful.  
  
He sighed, coming to himself just enough to close the curtains behind him. More light was beginning to spill in this morning and he could now see colors instead of just grays. He walked slowly to the bed and gazed down at her. This was the girl of an erotic dream he'd just had ten minutes before? The thought of that dream made his manhood twitch and he closed his eyes tightly to control himself. "Hermione... Merlin help you if you wake." He murmured and leaned over.  
  
It was soft at first, gentle. He'd kissed so few times in his life and most of those kisses had been forced upon the woman, that he wanted this one to be... willing. Well, as willing as one could make kissing a sleeping woman. His tongue leaped out warmly, tasting her lips and noting how sweet they were before he nudged them open, tasting further.  
  
It was a good minute before he realized she was kissing back and when he did, he broke the kiss, leaping backward from the bed two feet. She lay there on her back in the same position staring up at the ceiling before her soft brown eyes turned to Snape, "Professor?" she whispered, "Where am I?" She then looked shaken, "Did you...kiss me?"  
  
Snape's eyes were wide and he felt a tightening in his chest. He took a gasping breath, "Miss Granger." He rasped, taking a step forward, "How do you feel?"  
  
Hermione's lashes fluttered and she looked utterly confused, "I'm fine." Slowly she pushed herself up and looked around, "Bellatrix, did she hit me? I don't feel bad."  
  
Snape nodded, his eyes studying Hermione considerably, "She did."  
  
Hermione frowned, "It's morning?"  
  
Again Snape nodded. Hermione swallowed, "How long was I asleep?"  
  
Snape never sugar coated anything, "Six weeks," he began as her eyes widen and jaw slacked open, "You were under," he swallowed, hesitant to say more, "a...curse."  
  
Hermione's brows knitted together, "A kiss woke me up... professor. I..." Hermione closed her eyes and laid back down on the pillow, "Oh, no."

Snape didn't move, he didn't want to confirm or deny anything the young woman was thinking. When she started to cry though, Snape's emotions were hardened, "Miss Granger, pull yourself together."  
  
She looked up at him, "I... Oh, gods." She turned and buried her head in the pillow sobbing.  
  
The sobbing quickly brought Madam Pomfrey out of her office, still in her nightclothes. "What's going on here?!" Came her voice before the curtains were shifted open. "Miss Granger? Professor Snape? What's happened? Child! You're awake!" She seemed to suddenly realize her cursed patient was now conscious, "That's wonderful!" She moved to sit on the side of the bed to console Hermione.  
  
Snape tried to move away, slowly backing to the curtain. A quick, silent escape, "That's a matter of opinion," he whispered more to himself of Pomfrey's statement. Before he could get there however, Dumbledore pushed open the curtain with a rather amused, smug look on his face. Snape frowned with distaste, "Headmaster." He nodded.  
  
"Oh, wonderful! Miss Granger, you're awake! Sorry that cure took so long." Dumbledore clucked his tongue, "Shame that. You could have been working your internship at the Ministry. Well, no matter. Welcome back."  
  
Hermione's red-rimmed, honey-brown eyes turned and _stared_ at Dumbledore as if he'd gone insane. She looked over Dumbledore's shoulder toward Snape and then back to the Headmaster. Snape could read it in her expression. _How in Merlin's name could he say it was wonderful!?_ Snape could also read that she knew which curse had been cast over her. She knew he had been kissing her when she woke up. And she knew what the meant... and there was a part in Snape's heart that was broken because she was devastated by the fact that he was her soul-mate.  
  
Well, he was no happy camper either! A mud-blood Gryffindor?! He would be disgraced! He lifted his chin defiantly and stood a little taller. He was far better than this, and he was going to let Dumbledore know.  
  
Pomfrey's eyes widened, "But Headmaster, professor Snape was the only one here when I arrived. Who woke her?"  
  
Dumbledore's hand waved idly to Snape, "Severus did, Poppy. Miracles never cease."  
  
Hermione groaned again and Snape took a deep breath, "Headmaster, surely it was just coincidence that it was me. Surely it doesn't mean what the book claims. I can't be-"  
  
Raising his hand, Dumbledore nodded passively, "There is one way to find out. Severus, step out of the infirmary. Return only if I call for you."  
  
Snape and Hermione both blinked, but Hermione had come enough to her senses to speak, "Excuse me, Headmaster? What will that accomplish?"  
  
The old man's lip lifted in an amused smile, "A theory will be proven false... or true."  
  
Snape glanced once to Hermione then to Dumbledore before pushing the white curtain out of his way and slipping away from Hermione's private area in the Infirmary. He walked briskly, as if maybe trying to get away. His boots were the only sound on stone floor of the hospital wing as he marched.  
  
As soon as he crossed the threshold however, there was a fierce scream. One he knew to be Grangers'. Without thinking he ran back the hospital wing and tore open the curtain to see Dumbledore and Pomfrey cradling Hermione who seemed to have fallen out the bed. "What happened, what'd she do?"  
  
Pomfrey helped the crying Hermione back into the bed. "She seemed to thrust herself out of the bed. And she cried out." Pomfrey looked uncertainly to Dumbledore who nodded.  
  
"Miss Granger? Hermione?" Dumbledore gently ran two fingers over Hermione's cheek. She looked as fragile as a porcelain doll and he treated her as such. Slowly, he lifted her chin and looked into her brown eyes that held tears as she sobbed, "I'm sorry, it'll be okay now," He promised, "I had to find out for certain."  
  
"Find out what exactly, Dumbledore!?" Snape barked, loosing his control. His shout startled Hermione and she hiccupped, her tears ceasing.  
  
Slowly, Dumbledore looked up to Snape, "The curse was too simple. She's still under it, but in a different form now."  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed, "What are you saying? She's not under the Bellulus Soporo. She's not asleep any longer. I've done my duty."  
  
Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes, her hand reaching up and grasping Dumbledore's for support, "Professor Snape," She began, sounding relatively calm, "I-"she cleared her throat to be rid of the frog held there, "I think what Professor Dumbledore is saying is that we're now connected. When you left the room, I... it felt like a portkey had pulled me out of the bed. And a pain tore at my middle. I'm okay now though."  
  
"I don't care if you're okay!" Snape lied, "The spell has been reversed! You're awake! There's nothing left, we're done!"  
  
Hermione bit her lip, afraid to say anything more. Dumbledore took up the place where she left off, "Severus, think. Of all the fairy tales you've heard, what happens after the girl is kissed?"  
  
Snape's dark eyes narrowed again and he began shaking his head, "No. It cannot be allowed. I will not allow it!"  
  
Pomfrey swallowed, "They lived-," She murmured and frowned as if she'd swallowed something disgustingly vile.  
  
Snape pointed at Pomfrey, "Don't you _dare_ say it." He whispered dangerously.  
  
"The situation is as it is, Severus," Dumbledore protested, squeezing Hermione's hand before releasing it and standing. "The curse was usually removed in the middle-ages by those willing to remove it, those who wanted the woman they kissed. Now, friend, you've got her whether you want her or not."

* * *

**A/N**: "_Soul meets soul on lovers' lips_" - Percy Bysshe Shelley, Prometheus Unbound


	8. Those Who Trust Us Educate Us

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! Harry and all Potter related characters belong to the queen, JK Rowling. I can't afford to pay her more than what I pay for her books, tapes, and other merchandise.  
  
**Acknowledgments:** Again, thanks to Pogovina for beta reading! Thanks to everyone for their reviews. I adore the encouragement and ideas! You keep me inspired!  
  
Reason

* * *

Chapter 8- Those who trust us educate us  
  
Snape stared at Dumbledore for the longest moment before breaking eye contact and looking away. Stuck, he was now stuck, literally glued to the insufferable girl. He glanced to Hermione and corrected himself reluctantly- young woman. Dumbledore nodded and signaled Madam Pomfrey to follow him as he left the curtained off area. Pomfrey glanced once to her patient and then once worriedly to Snape before closing the curtains behind her.  
  
Hermione sat there on the bed, her soft brown eyes staring at Snape for the longest time. "Listen," She finally said, "I know the curse. I studied it in Charms my sixth year. I know it was thought to be some great and wonderful joke. Well, haha." She crossed her arms, "But I also know what that entails and Professor..." She lifted her chin, "it's true. It's cruel, but true."  
  
Snape lifted his head and stared at Hermione, his black eyes ebbing and boring into her soul, "What... is true?" he asked, his voice deep and unnervingly soft.  
  
"The curse doesn't lie," she swallowed and looked down at the sheet over her waist, "The soul-mate thing." She shrugged, "I don't see how and well," She looked up at Snape with a bit of fear in her eyes, "it frightens me to death."  
  
Snape moved to the chair next to Hermione's bed, pulled it away and sat a few feet from the bed, "Dumbledore knew," he shook his head, "The old bastard knew."  
  
Hermione looked confused, "He did?"  
  
"He has been trying to get me to kiss you since we found out what curse was over you." He explained. Taking a great breath Snape changed the subject, "How up are you to studying? We must find a way to reverse the connection."  
  
Hermione blinked, "I... well," she looked down at her hands, "I suppose I can. I'm awake, I'm not ill feeling except when..." she waved her hand and Snape nodded, "and well... Yeah, I'm always up for studying."  
  
"Fine," Snape stood, going towards the curtain, "Dress, I'll be on the other side waiting for you. We'll go to the library when you're ready."  
  
"Professor Snape?"  
  
"What?" he said tightly.  
  
"How do you feel about all of this?" She asked, "Am I really that much of a nuisance to you?"  
  
Snape narrowed his gaze, "Get dressed, Miss Granger and stop asking stupid questions."  
  
Hermione crossed her arms, "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"What did you say?" Snape's voice quiet and hinting at danger at defying him.  
  
Anger apparent in her voice, Hermione lifted her chin with a flip of her hair, "You're not my teacher anymore. You can't command me. I'm going to stay here until Madam Pomfrey gives me release. Then, we can study the reversal. Until then, I'm not moving an inch."  
  
Snape snorted in anger, "Why you-"  
  
"Severus?" Dumbledore called warningly from the other side of the curtain, having clearly heard the conversation inside.  
  
Snape's lip snarled as he whipped the curtain open, "Headmaster," Dumbledore strode in and sat in the chair. He looked between Hermione and Snape, "Sit, Severus."  
  
"I prefer to stand, if its all the same." He said smoothly.  
  
Dumbledore shrugged, "Very well," he sighed and turned to Hermione. He'd rather face those soft brilliant eyes, than those dark, cold ones of the potions master, "I understand this is going to be difficult for the both of you. Severus, Hermione, I need for you to put your trust in each other."  
  
Snape snorted, "Albus, what you ask-"  
  
"Is impossible? Your limited point of view never ceases to amaze me." Dumbledore reached out and took Hermione's hand, "Only through trust will you be able to break the reminisce of the curse." Hermione tried to smile at Dumbledore's words, "Until then, Hermione is to stay in the infirmary one night for observation."  
  
"Headmaster, I can't stay-"  
  
Again Dumbledore interrupted him, "And since Severus must stay at Hogwarts in preparation for classes in two weeks, Hermione, I have written the Ministry and informed them of further delays of your internship."  
  
Hermione gave a great groan and sighed, "Yes, Professor Dumbledore." She looked down at her hand as he released it and stood.  
  
"I'll make sure your meals are delivered here and will come back to visit before nightfall."  
  
Snape was dumbfounded, "Headmaster..." he tried to argue but was greeted with a curtain to the face as he tried to follow Albus out. He turned around and Hermione seemed taken aback by the anger in his face. "Not a word," he pointed at her and lifted the curtain to brood someplace else.  
  
Severus took two steps and stopped dead. Coming down the hall were four male figures, three with carrot-red hair. "Damn it!" he murmured, thinking to himself this is what it must felt like to be caught between a rock and a hard spot. Quickly Snape ducked back into the private area, "Potter and three of the Weasleys are heading this way." He informed Hermione quickly, her eyes lit up and then quickly flashed from happiness to panic.  
  
"What am I going to tell them?" she asked, "Oh, Merlin!" She put her hands to her forehead and thought wildly, rubbing her temples "Okay, okay, I have an idea."  
  
"I'm glad you do, Miss Granger, because I am at a loss," Snape admitted freely, knowing the last thing she wanted to tell them was she had been awaken by the Slytherin potions master. "Not that I care if you tell them or not," he lied.  
  
Hermione turned suddenly to Snape and gaped at him, a sudden thought running through her head and she quickly closed her mouth and furrowed her brow in thought. She studied him until the curtain was swept open and Harry entered, speaking quietly with Ron, Fred and George, "I really don't know if this is going to work," he lifted his eyes and stopped suddenly, causing the trio behind him to run into him.  
  
"Oy! Harry!" Ron yelped as he was stuck behind Harry and nearly trampled by his twin brothers.  
  
"Hermione!!" Harry ran towards the bed and hugged his friend tightly. Harry was quickly followed by Ron and the twins who nearly crushed her with their weight.  
  
"Hey, guys!" She laughed and giggled as Snape stepped around Ron, making sure he was well away from this cornucopia of love.  
  
"Who woke you!? Dumbledore asked we bring Fred and George today to well... try." Hermione gave Ron a nasty look, "Well, who was it.  
  
Snape started making his way towards the exit as he had done when Madam Pomfrey was checking Hermione over earlier until he heard her speak out, "No, Professor, please don't leave?"  
  
Snape stopped and turned, furrowing his brow, "Yes, Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione looked between her friends and swallowed, "It was Professor Snape," she admitted to which all four young men blinked.  
  
George let out an uneasy laugh, "You're joking, right." Which were followed by Fred's "Yeah, right." And Ron's "Good joke, Hermione."  
  
But Harry watched Hermione carefully; her eyes were locked with that of Snape's. He turned carefully and followed the gaze. He noted the look on Snape's face. It wasn't anger that he would have expected from a joke, it was pity as the potion's master looked upon his former student.  
  
Harry reached out and grabbed Ron's arm, shaking his head at his best friend who's face fell and eyes went wide, "Oh, bloody hell, Hermione. Say that you're joking!"  
  
"No, Mr. Weasley," Severus took a deep breath, "I woke Miss Granger this morning."  
  
Fred and George simultaneously went "Eww!" as Hermione gave them all an evil eye.  
  
"Listen, the curse doesn't lie." Hermione protested and it caught Snape by surprise, "He is my soul-mate." She saw Snape's flinch and clenched her fists, "Okay, yes, it scares me, makes me angry and embarrassed, but it doesn't lie. I have faith that without the curse, fate would have occurred naturally between us, but now we're both put into this stupid awkward position because of it!" Hermione sat up in her bed, "I ask that you, my friends, would be understanding. Don't pity me for Merlin's sake!" When Ron went to pat her shoulder, "Just..." Hermione let her face fall in her hands and she swiped them up through her hair, "Just don't, okay. You don't know the half of it."  
  
Harry, the only one who hadn't responded to the events, cocked his head, "What is the half of it, Hermione?"  
  
Hermione looked at that point ready to cry and Snape stepped in, placing his hands on the foot of Hermione's bed, "The curse hasn't been completely lifted. Miss Granger and I are now bound." He sounded tired, but tried to keep his mind focused, "I can't leave her or it will cause her physical pain and anguish." He took another breath, "We are stuck with one another until the curse can be reversed."  
  
"Is there anything-" "We can do?" Asked George and Fred looking hopeful.  
  
Hermione shook her head, "This isn't something we can fix with joke candy or whoopee cushions, I'm afraid," she whispered desolately.  
  
"Research," Snape said simply, "If you can, start tonight. I'm unable to leave Miss Granger's side and she's to stay here for observation 'til the morning."  
  
Ron and Harry looked at each other and both had the sudden feeling they were being given an assignment. Ron nodded and agreed he would try as Harry did the same, "We'll do what we can, Professor."

* * *

AN: I credit Potter Puppet Pals with the cornucopia of love thing. It is my tribute to them.

"Those who trust us educate us." -TS Elliot


	9. Confusion and Surprises

Disclamer: I do wish I owned these characters, for I would be fairly rich. I would also have people harping me everyday for the next book (HBP). Ah, the price to pay for fame...however, I do not own them, but I do enjoy the harping of fans. And admittedly, pleased with the encouragement. R&R encouraged, for it's now the reason I write.  
  
Reason

* * *

Chapter 9- Confusion and surprises.  
  
Severus Snape hid himself to one side of the infirmary, flipping through wizarding medical texts and making himself cozy with a book about medicinal potions until Potter and the Weasleys bid their goodbyes and departed. Somehow, he realized, his requests for Potter and Weasley to research the curse had fallen on deaf ears. No matter their intelligence, loyalty, or power, when it came to research and dark curses there was no one better than he and Hermione. However, was he not only stuck there for the night, so was she. He slammed the book shut and a puff of dust nearly made him cough.  
  
Harry hung back when he noticed Snape. His green eyes watching the potions master just a moment before approaching him. "Professor?"  
  
Snape, his leg dangling over the arm of a chair, the book of medicinal potions resting on it, glanced up before returning his eyes to his book and flipping open to a page, "What, Potter?"  
  
Harry sat down in a chair across from Snape and sighed, "I wanted to say thank you."  
  
Snape paused and looked up, "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Thanks." Harry nodded, "Just thanks for waking Hermione up. We'll do our best to help. And if you need something that Ron and I can help with, just Owl us." Harry held out his hand and Snape stared down at it for a long moment, to the point where Harry didn't think he was going to take it. Eventually he did though and surprised Harry with a firm grip.  
  
When Harry left Snape stared after him, a completely confused look on his face. First the boy sent a letter and asked that he not kiss Hermione. Now he was thanking him? Snape decided finally that Potter must have hit his head too many times in the final battle with Voldemort and went back to his book.  
  
When dinner came, the house elves were wise not to disturb Snape's reading. It wasn't really reading now anyway, as it was perusal of the book and an avoidance to speak to anyone. Inside, his mind weighed his thoughts carefully and the possibilities of the spell even more methodically. He had been bound before, of course, when he was a servant of the Dark Lord Voldemort. A bidding he cringed at even now. At least then, he could walk out of the room Voldemort was in, but he still was bound to obeying orders like a lap dog. Without thought, Snape's right hand went to his left forearm. The mark was gone, but it still left behind the mental impression of it's burn.  
  
"What are you thinking of, Professor?"  
  
Snape's head snapped up and he clenched his right hand before moving it away from his arm, "Nothing." He murmured and closed the book, pulling his attention to Hermione as she walked over to him. He noted that she was in a white robe over the gown that Pomfrey had placed her in after the battle. Her brown hair was clean again and ran down like waves over her shoulders. His eyes softened as it was not entirely too distressing to look upon her.  
  
"Well, I wish I could think about nothing," She sat in the chair across from him. "I'm bored out of my mind."  
  
Snape's lip lifted a little at that, "That's fair. As am I. I'll be happy to be in the library tomorrow, if you're still up for it?"  
  
Hermione nodded, "I've been thinking on it a bit. I hope the texts will answer some of my questions."  
  
"Like what?" He asked, setting the book aside.  
  
"Like, well, why isn't any of this written in the tales? They weren't _that_ naive in the middle ages."  
  
Snape nodded, "All of those stories ended with _that_ phrase. They were blinded fools"  
  
Hermione paused, picking at the threads on her robe, "I'm not completely unhappy." She whispered.  
  
Snape stood, "Well, Miss Granger, I am." He started to walk away.  
  
"What is so _wrong_ with me that you hate me so much!?" Hermione asked suddenly.  
  
Snape didn't turn, "You are an insufferable know-it-all and a troublemaker."  
  
"So are you." She retorted.  
  
Narrowing his eyes, Snape slowly turned, "I try to keep order, while you and your friends constantly disrupt it."  
  
"Is that why you joined Voldemort? To bring order to Wizarding world?" She stood and walked over to him, "I may be a... Mudblood, but I believe there has been more order brought by my presence than yours, professor."  
  
Snape turned away, whipping his robes around him and heading towards a curtained off area. If he couldn't leave the room, well, damnit! He was going to get away from her some how.  
  
"Chicken." Hermione murmured and Snape's control snapped. He turned quickly on his heel and came at her, his wand drawn.  
  
"Miss Granger, I don't care if we are bonded. If by blowing you to Surrey would cause me to follow you in turn, then so be it. At the moment I really don't care. Leave. Me. Alone." He caught the fear in her eyes and was pleased when she didn't retort. "Good." Slowly, he lowered his wand and walked toward the curtained area around a bed, whipping it aside and closing it with the same deliberate gesture. He then sat on the bed and began removing his boots.  
  
He didn't hear Hermione sniffle as he had expected her to. He heard silence mostly, the opening of her curtain next to his and its closing, the springs of the mattress as she sat and laid down on it.  
  
The sun was setting by the time Snape laid down on his own bed. He listened more as he heard Pomfrey making a to-do over Hermione, her politely telling the healer she was okay and then goodnights between the two. Candles magically lit around Snape at around ten when the sun was completely set. After lying there for a while with his thoughts, Snape waved his hands and cast the room into darkness as the candles went out.  
  
"Professor, I'm sure there is a reversal," He heard just as he started to drift asleep.  
  
"Yes, There has to be. Good night, Miss Granger." He turned away and closed his eyes again.  
  
"You know, its okay to call me Hermione. I'm not your student anymore." She permitted.  
  
"That being kind of you, Miss Granger, I think I'll pass." He reached up and rubbed his shoulder, yawning before he heard another question.  
  
"May I call you Severus?"  
  
"Of course not!" He turned over and faced her area of the curtains, "Go to sleep, Miss Granger!"  
  
"I can't!"  
  
Snape frowned, "The curse...?" He asked, sitting up on his elbow.  
  
"No..." she paused and he heard her shift on the bed, "I was asleep for six weeks. What if I go to sleep again and don't wake up?"  
  
"Then..." Snape swallowed, thinking about what he was going to say. _I would kiss you again_, he thought and shook his head, clearing away the idea. "Wait here." He got up and proceeded to the door.  
  
"No!" came Hermione's panicked voice, "don't leave me!" Snape paused and looked up, seeing Madam Pomfrey's office door closed and the light off he knew he would have to knock to waken her for a draft... and her office was over the threshold of the room he was in, down the hallway. If he crossed the threshold, it would send Hermione into pain and fits again.  
  
He turned and walked back over to her sleeping area, pulled open the curtain and preceded to her bed. She was sitting up, a ghostly white in the moonlight that flooded the hospital. She clung to the sheets, but visibly relaxed when she saw him. "I...I thought you'd were leaving. I'm sorry."  
  
"I almost did," he admitted and sat on the edge of the bed next to her, "I'd forgotten." It was an unsaid apology, for he never forgot things. He took a deep breath and pulled a vial out of his robes, uncorking it and offering it to her, "Drink."  
  
"What is it?" She asked uneasily.  
  
"It is a draft of peaceful dreams. I usually keep a vial with me... of several different potions, of course." He shrugged uneasily, "You never know when one will be needed."  
  
She didn't take it, but swallowed, staring at the small bottle of purple liquid. Slowly, without malice, Snape lifted it to her lips. She obediently opened her mouth and swallowed as he tipped it onto her tongue. "There... Sleep, Hermione. And don't worry about waking in the morning," He caught her as the draft took affect and laid her down on the pillow gently. He lay down next to her and watched her eyelids close with sleep come quickly, "And if necessary, I will kiss you again in the morning." 


	10. Pleasant Awakenings

**Disclamer**: I own nothing here. I simply love Snape, is that so hard to understand? Please no sue me!  
  
**Acknowledgments**: You guys are great encouragement. I love you! Esp. you, Goth Princess. You make me laugh!  
  
Reason

* * *

Chapter 10- Pleasant Awakenings  
  
Snape took a deep breath as he woke up from his night of sleep, slowly assessing his body and becoming aware of every nuance around him.  
  
The first thing he noted was that he was incredibly comfortable, pleasantly warm and rested. This was followed by a yawn and an assessment of other bodily functions. He needed to go to the loo. Not incredibly uncommon, but he knew it could wait a few minutes. His hand was under the pillow and a bit numb. A weight on the pillow causing the numbness that was not entirely unpleasant. A sweet smell, rather like honeysuckle caused a small, nearly indistinguishable smile to cross his lips. This was followed with the realization his breath did not smell quite as pleasant.  
  
He opened his eyes and was not surprised to see Hermione's bushy brown hair close to his face. He'd fallen asleep with her after he'd given her the potion instead of moving. His dark eyes studied her. This was the closest he'd truly been to the young woman. He took this chance to study her. Her skin was pale, but not as light as his own. It was fair, blemish free. He noted her eyelashes were long and matched the color of her hair. As well, her eyebrows did too. They were light and sculpted, he doubted she even used any method to keep them that way, as they looked very natural. Her cheekbones were developed and he furrowed his brow realizing how mature the girl's face had grown. She was a young woman now. She was a young woman who was strong and brave and intelligent. One who would fight the world for everything she believed in and he couldn't help but admire that.  
  
Gently he jostled his arm, "Miss... Hermione. Wake up. It's morning."  
  
When she made no move, her tried again, "Miss Granger? Hermione, wake up, if you would please?"  
  
Her head jarred up, but she didn't wake. He took his arm out from under the pillow and swallowed. His breathing rapid and just a tad panicked as he thought quickly. Before he really knew what he was doing he looked both ways. Good, it was still too early for anyone to be in the infirmary yet. He quickly leaned down and covered her lips with his.  
  
As he looked back later, there was clearly not as much thought put into this kiss as there had been the first one on the morning before. If he'd thought it though, he probably would have realized he needn't kiss her. He would have realized the woman he had just been complementing in his own mind on her intelligence was playing a very witty trick on him.  
  
The kiss was not long at all, because Hermione began giggling as soon as Snape touched her lips. His head snapped up and he stared wide-eyed down at her cheerful face as she looked up at him, "You're awake?!" He stated obviously.  
  
"Yes," she cortled, and gently pulled on his sleeves, "but perhaps not completely." She whispered, her hand running up Snape's arm, "I don't think you finished."  
  
Snape quickly pulled away, "Miss Granger!" He seemed horrified.  
  
"Oh, come on!" She began to sit up. "It was a joke. Surely you can take one!"  
  
Snape snarled as she picked at his robe again, "I don't like jokes."  
  
"I wasn't making fun of you. I was hoping you'd like it." She fell back on the pillow and sighed. "Can't you just laugh about the fact that we're part of some great practical joke?"  
  
Snape had yet to get off the bed he lay in, deep inside not wanting to get away from Hermione, "I hate, no...despise practical jokes."  
  
Hermione turned her eyes to him, "I don't mean any malice. If we're stuck together, no matter the ill intent, I'm not going to be angry about it because it will do no good. Bellatrix will have won."  
  
Snape thought over it and his lips twitched in a scowl at letting the bitch Bellatrix win. She'd probably be the one laughing if she saw how Snape tried to push Hermione away, how he was chastising her for wanting to kiss him again.  
  
Quickly, this time without looking around, he leaned in and captured Hermione's lips. The move caught her by surprise and she yelped a muffled protest as he deepened the kiss. His tongue opening her lips to him and he tasted her sweetness. He moaned just softly enough to make her aware he was enjoying the kiss and her arms lifted to wrap around his broad shoulders. It was a nice kiss, gentle, giving. And when Snape broke away, he also realized how arousing it had been.  
  
He quickly shifted his robes to hide the beginning of a slight bulge in his trousers as he pulled away. "Hermione, I do not wish to focus on the implications of what the curse has forced us to realize. I would rather it be broken so we can focus on developments and face them on our own time." He murmured, his hand coming up to swipe a strand of bushy brown hair from her face.  
  
To Hermione, it had been the most logical thing Snape had said to her since yesterday morning. Yes, he did realize what the curse meant and he wasn't afraid now. Not that she was sure he was afraid, but denial was deeply imbedded in his bones.  
  
She nodded and he drew up off the bed, admiring the way the white gown clung to her lush body before he covered her back up with the blanket, "I will be over in the next bed. It's still too early for anyone to be awake." He walked away, but before doing so, noted Hermione looked peaceful with what he had said. It was the truth without sarcasm for once, from Severus Snape.  
  
He used his bedpan, relieved that Poppy had had the foresight to provide him with one since he couldn't leave the hospital, and propped himself back in bed, laying down on the sheets. He took a deep breath, remember Hermione's smell and smiled, "And Miss Granger... You may call me Severus _in private_ if you would like."  
  
"Thank you, Professor Snape," He could almost hear the smile in her voice.  
  
After breakfast and a quick assessment from Madam Pomfrey, Hermione was released and it was quickly realized that she and Snape had to either walk abreast through a doorway or be holding hands. Whenever possible, they opted to walk side by side. "I will show you to your temporary quarters," Snape offered. Hermione knew he meant his quarters in the dungeon and she thanked him. He opened the door and she was pleasantly surprised that a small cot had been already moved into the lush bedroom. Snape enjoyed fineries, but rarely indulged in them except privately. Here he had a king sized bed with lush-dark red velvet comforter. Hermione tried to look casual as she brushed her hand over it and reveled in its softness. He also had a writing desk of dark oak covered with papers and potions formulas and theories he worked on constantly. She noted an empty desk that didn't quite match the other was across from his. He explained that they would likely be doing late night research and told her it was for convenience.  
  
"The bathing room," he cleared his throat, "Is through there." He noted a doorway and sighed, "As much as I despise it, we will need to bathe with the other in the room. Luckily, there are curtains 'round the tub and I will trust simple back turns will suffice to keep our modesties intact."  
  
Hermione couldn't help but giggle, but she had the wisdom to cover her mouth, "It will, Professor." She said and Snape noted she had yet to get used to calling him Severus. Never mind. He wasn't going to _point_ it out to her for Merlin's sake!  
  
Hermione noted Snape looked awkward while he showed her around. She wasn't sure if anyone besides herself had ever been in his quarters and sure as hell not someone who eventually, hopefully not in the near future, was going to have a long-term relationship with the man.  
  
Snape showed her the various books in the bookcases were not only potions, but other magical texts as well. She pulled out a Care of Magical Creatures text and looked at him questioningly. He replied with a half smirk, "There are some ingredients that must be obtained carefully from magical creatures. Sometimes you must care for the creature in order to get what you need. I don't do it often, mind you. Just enough so the text comes in handy." He took the book from her and placed it back in its spot on the shelf.  
  
"Hmmm..." Hermione murmured, "Nothing is ever free."  
  
Snape smirked, "An anyone who says otherwise is trying to sell you something." He went over to his desk and took a book from the top of a pile, "This is the book I initially located the spell in. It was my fault for not researching further." He opened the book and handed it to Hermione open. She walked over and took it, sitting down at the desk he provided her and began immersing herself in the text as he expected her to. If he was right, her mind was fresh with theories and ripe for study.  
  
She looked up after a moment, "Do you have anything more? This just gives a basic outline."  
  
Snape nodded and took the next book in the pile, handing it to her. He then took the next book after that from the pile, "That, my dear, is where we begin our research. These books were brought from the library. I asked Madam Pince to find anything that remotely referred to the Sleeping Beauty curse and send it up. We have a lot of work ahead of us." He opened his book, with the first sentence reading a Mother Goose rhyme, he groaned, "A lot of work."  
  
Hermione smiled as she opened her book, "Best send for lunch then." She replied, "Because I don't plan on letting up just for a meal."  
  
Snape glanced up, tilting his head and observing her for a moment. No, he didn't think she would break. His lip pulled into a small smile that probably looked a bit sadistic, but Hermione wasn't looking. She had already immersed herself in read, pulling up her legs and getting comfortable flipping through and scanning the pages. Snape nodded in approval and took a deep breath, preparing to read his own book. Groaning only once, be began reading, _Humpty Dumpty_. Not surprisingly, the stupid horses and men couldn't put him back together again. He rolled his eyes and flipped to the next page. 


	11. Briar Rose's Grimm Story

**Disclaimer**: I own no zing! I simply write because I love these characters.  
  
**Acknowledgments**: To my niece, Inubuggy, who doesn't like my story and won't read it because she says, I am "a bad monkey!" 12 year olds, what can you do? They just don't understand that Snape's dark side is rather attractive.  
  
And to KajisGirl- who's offered ideas, R&R, and will eventually be Beta- ing when she comes back from her trip. (hope it was good!!)  
  
To all the people who R&R, please continue to do so. I get so many ideas from you!!  
  
Reason

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Chapter 11- Briar Rose's Grimm story.  
  
Hermione bit into the apple and chewed it slowly, carefully, making sure every bit of meat and skin was small and digestible without giving her a bellyache. This was an automatic thing for her to do of course, bore into her head as a small child by her dentist parents. Snape couldn't help but watch. He'd scanned through ten books and nothing led him to believe they had anything in relation to the Sleeping Beauty curse.  
  
Hermione however appeared to be immersed in her text. Snape stood and walked around to her desk, leaning slightly over her shoulder to read. "Don't do that," He heard her murmur.  
  
"Do what?" he asked, skimming the page.  
  
"Hover, like you're examining my work or some such." She took another bite of her apple as Snape straightened. Around the food she spoke, "How's your work coming?" She questioned and heard him sigh slightly, "Not good, eh. Well..." She swallowed and sat the apple down on the desk, skin down. "Listen to this:  
  
_"The story of Briar Rose, also known as Sleeping Beauty, is perhaps the most famous story of a person who was under the_ Bellulus Soporo_ curse. However, little is known about it or her. We know most of Briar Rose's story through the embellishment by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 when they published the Grimm Fairy Tales. It isn't doubtful that Briar Rose's family and servants fell under a time pausing curse when she fell under the spell, however it is unlikely.  
_  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah..." Hermione flipped the page, scanning it to where she was reading when Snape started looking over her shoulder. "Ah! Here!  
  
_"Prince Charming, whoever he was, was clearly her soul mate. In the course of her deep sleep, which kept her young,"_ Hermione smiled at that. Maybe the spell had reversed some of the aging she'd done with the Time Turner her third year,_ "She slept nearly 100 years before he woke her. The way the Brothers Grimm spin their story with its highly sexual innuendos of the parting of the thorns and intrusion of the castle, this author comes to the conclusion that he may have taken liberties with her while she slept.  
_  
"EWW! Pervert!" Hermione wrinkled her nose in distain.  
  
"Who's a pervert? Severus, are you, darling?"  
  
Hermione's head snapped up and she blushed as she saw Professor Sinistra standing in the doorway, leaning on its frame. "No, professor." She mumbled, looking down at her book in slight embarrassment.  
  
"Aurora? Don't you ever knock?" Snape questioned and left Hermione's side where he went to collapse in his own chair. "And I'll have you know we are researching Miss Granger's curse, so if you don't mind..."  
  
"Actually, that's why I came." Sinistra closed the door and looked around, "Nice room, Severus. I don't know why you never invited me down here."  
  
Snape glanced up at Hermione whose nose was still stuck in her book, "Aurora..."  
  
"I know, I know, why the hell am I down here and what do I have?" Sinistra's green eyes twinkled, "So glad to see you up and about, Miss Granger." She then slipped a hand in her robes and pulled out a notebook. "Call me a bit of a romantic, but I did some side research my seventh year." She shrugged and handed Snape the notebook.  
  
Snape looked down at the title and winced, "'Rare Romantic Curses'?"  
  
Sinistra shrugged and chuckled, retrieving some satisfaction when Hermione glanced up from her reading to the title of Sinistra's notebook. "You never asked me how I came to know the Sleeping Beauty curse when we spoke the other night." She pointed at the notebook, "That little beauty has a bit of everything. Not just curses either. It entails potions, hexes and enchantments as well."  
  
Hermione rose and went to stand next to Snape as he began flipping through the notebook. She even snatched it away from him when she saw something on a page that amazed her, "The _Aurora Amoré Borealis_?"  
  
Sinistra cleared her throat, "That was my own spell invention." She snapped the notebook away and clutched it to her chest, "A little romantic experiment, per se." She then spun and sat in Hermione's vacant chair. "The point is, I know a little of the _Bellulus Soporo_. I was hoping I could help."  
  
Snape audibly groaned, "Sinistra... I would prefer-"  
  
"To be rid of the annoying know-it-all, Mudblood Gryffindor? Ah, yes, and you would rather kiss the shrunken head on your desk, I believe were your words the other night." Sinistra remarked without batting a lash. Hermione looked up at Snape and Sinistra was pleased to see a tad bit of hurt in her eyes. "Oh, dear girl, don't act so surprised!" She chided, "We may be talking about your soul mate, but we are also talking about Severus Snape. I'll give you no delusions on romanticism. It's cruel and harsh, wickedly evil, but worth every bit the pain."  
  
"You are a sadist, Aurora." Snape remarked and reached for the notebook, "May I see?"  
  
Sinistra offered the book again which Snape took and Hermione stared at her, "I'm not a child with a fancy, Professor. I know the stakes here."  
  
Sinistra stood, passing by Snape who was now avidly reading a page, "I don't know if you do, child." She sauntered up to Hermione taking on her teaching voice, "Your heart is as stake. Your trust in this matter could very well place you as a lamb for slaughter." She glanced at Snape who she clearly implied was the wolf here. She then took another step forward and Hermione backed up, "This is not even the most ravaging of love spells. There are others that fuck with your mind in the worse way possible." The professor's words causing Hermione to flinch in surprise, "At least here, you have a chance of remaining sane. However, I don't necessarily admire Fate's choice for your paring, my dear." Again she glanced at Snape and clucked her tongue.  
  
"Leave her alone, Sinistra." Snape mumbled darkly from his reading as he sat in a chair at his desk. Sinistra backed off and smirked at Hermione. Hermione still eyed her uneasily as her green eyes twinkled with something mischievous, something that was uncommon for the astronomy professor. Sinistra began to turn away, but then spun back quickly. Using both hands, she pushed Hermione with just enough force that Hermione staggered over the threshold into the loo. Hermione's eyes went wide before she collapsed with a cry of pain and started writhing on the floor.  
  
Snape's eyes snapped up as he heard Hermione's cries. Like a flash of black lightning, Snape swept past Sinistra and kneeled on the floor next to her. Sinistra took a few steps back, giving the couple room so she could observe. Snape pulled Hermione in his arms, "Hermione," he murmured and she gasped for breath, "Hermione, shhhh... It's okay, I'm here." He pulled her closely to him and looked up just enough to glare at Sinistra before he lifted Hermione from the floor of the loo and stepped back over the threshold to his quarters. He then walked briskly to his bed where he laid the weeping Hermione down. "Leave, Sinistra." He murmured as she began approaching the bed.  
  
"Now, Severus-" She began.  
  
"I said _**leave**_!" his eyes were blazing as they met the Astronomy professor's crisp green ones. "Leave the notebook, it may be useful, but leave here. Now. Don't come back unless I Owl you."  
  
Sinistra's eyes narrowed as she raised her chin proudly, "We all do our own research, Severus." With that she turned and opened the door, leaving it open as she departed.  
  
"Bitch," he swore under his breath and pulled his wand, flicking it quickly and slamming the door, locking it behind her. He then rested a palm on Hermione's damp forehead, brushing back her hair in a comforting way, "Are you okay?" he asked and Hermione nodded.  
  
"F..fine." she tried to swallow but closed her eyes trying to gasp another breath, "hurts..."  
  
Snape took a deep breath, "I know." He looked around and stood, "give me a moment." Walking briskly over to one of the bookshelves, he opened a cabinet near it and scanned the contents. From there he pulled a vile of amber liquid and nodded in approval of his inner thinking. When he returned, he uncorked the small bottle and held it to her lips, "Drink." He commanded as he had done the night before.  
  
"What is it?" she questioned, "I...I shouldn't take potions for this. We d...don't know what is causing it."  
  
Snape nodded in assurance, "It will help with the pain."  
  
Hermione nodded and opened her lips, letting him pour the potion on her tongue. He watched her carefully as her breathing evened out and her face visibly relaxed. It seemed only natural for him to lean over and brush his lips over her cheek, "Better? Good." He whispered when she nodded. "Then I think I should tell you of what I read in Sinistra's notebook." He raised his head and Hermione stared at him.  
  
"I don't know if you'll agree to it, but it was clearly a decisive measure used."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened, "Ummm... professor... Severus, what exactly are you thinking?"  
  
Snape took a deep breath and rose, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Hermione, "In each of the tales that were spun, there was nearly always sexual union."  
  
Hermione nodded once and swallowed nervously, "Yes, but we can't be for sure if that will help us in this situation." She took another breath since the oxygen was again having trouble traveling to her brain, "in fact, it could make things worse."  
  
Reaching out, Snape took Hermione's hand, "How so?"  
  
Hermione snapped her hand back, "I'm not ready!"  
  
"Are you a virgin, Miss Granger?"  
  
"_NO_!" With her sudden outburst, Hermione sat up, "I mean... stop this! No. I'm not ready to take that step in this particular relationship." When Snape looked nonplused, she elaborated, "Severus, I hardly know you. I know you only as a professor. As for the man that is supposed to be my soul-mate, I know next to nothing about him."  
  
"What do you want to know?" he asked, his eyes dark and reserved. She even noticed a bit of uncertainty in them.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked uncomfortable. What exactly did she want to know? "When were you born? How old are you?"  
  
"I don't see how that matters." Snape said calmly. "Ask something else."  
  
Hermione pursed her lips in frustration. Okay, she thought, ask something with more relevance, "Why did you become a Death Eater?"  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed, "I don't see how any of that is your business."  
  
Hermione threw her hands up, "See! Basic or private questions, you don't trust me enough to share yourself. Why would you want to make love-?"  
  
"I said nothing of making love." Snape retorted.  
  
"Fine, have sex." Hermione's cheeks flushed in anger. "What you don't seem to understand is that it's not sex for me. It has to be making love. I'm not going to give myself to someone who doesn't want to give himself back. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go to my own bed and we can restart this whole research crap tomorrow."  
  
Snape stopped her, a hand grasping her one of her shoulders, "Sleep here, in my bed."  
  
"I don't think-"  
  
"I swear, nothing will happen. Just sleep with me." Hermione narrowed her eyes and raised her chin, studying Snape's face. She was met with those unreadable eyes and she shook her head.  
  
"I want to trust you, but you have to trust me in return." She pushed aside the hand on her shoulder and swung her legs over the bed, rising. "I'm sorry." She said quietly before blowing out the candle on her desk and heading to the shadows and undressing for bed.  
  
Snape watched Hermione draw away from him and into her corner of the room. He thought he felt something; anger, sorrow, fear, he was unsure. Slowly, he drew the curtains on his bed and waved his hand, putting out the rest of the candles in the room. He didn't bother to undress, simply laid down and let sleep come. 


	12. These Dreams Go on When I Close My Eyes

I'm Back!!

Sorry about the mass delay in this chapter! I just recovered from Peter Pan Hell ™ and now am about to enter Harvey this week as Stage Manager. Hopefully it won't consume as much time and creative energy as PP did.

Thanks you so much to my loyal readers! I adore you guys! Please don't stop!

Reason

* * *

Chapter 12- These dreams go on when I close my eyes.

Sleep was an elusive phantom, hidden deep in the shadows of Snape's quarters. He didn't toss and turn, as one may have thought. He simply lay there, staring at the curtains and thinking...

What. Was. That?

Sinistra he could pretty much figure out. She pushed Hermione to see his reaction. And he hadn't guarded himself well. She saw his concern, she saw his fear, and she saw his consolation. Sinistra saw he cared for Hermione and that was probably what worried him most of all. When you cared for someone it could be used against you. Worse, the person you cared for could be used against you for diabolical purposes.

Sinistra's alignment had always been a mystery. Perhaps as much as his had been at one time. Dumbledore hired her on her expertise since when asked, Snape knew very little about her. What he did know didn't enlighten him much- She excelled more than many in the Wizarding world at Astronomy. She could probably have any Astronomical position she wanted, but chose to teach because she _liked_ to. Snape could never figure that out. He taught because he had to. Now, only Albus was still willing to keep him on even in lieu of his work in the defeat of Voldemort.

Yes, Sinistra was going to need to be dealt with sooner or later. It was a challenge he looked forward to. Something that excited him in a small way... however, it would have to wait.

For now, he had other problems, other thoughts and needs.

The most confusing of all of these was that somehow Hermione had drawn out thoughts and needs in him that he wanted to deny. For example, (he turned his head in the direction of Hermione's bed) how good she smelled when he held her, or how good she tasted the two times he kissed her. Snape licked his lips in remembrance. So damn sweet and succulent. He closed his eyes and saw her in the darkness pulling tighter into that kiss, feeling her take every ounce of him. And for once Snape truly wanted to give.

He took a shuttered breath and opened his eyes once more to the darkness of his room. He could hear her breathing softly in the darkness. Like a soft caress- in and out. It was amplified as if she lay right next to him. Strangely, he reached over and imagined touching her shoulder. If it were bare, he thought it would be soft yet well formed with muscle underneath. He slid his hand down the blanket and just brushed her fingers, tease them with his own. He would then let his fingertips brush over her hips. Ah, yes, well-formed hips. Perfect for baring his...

He blinked in surprise at that thought. Since when did he ever think of having children? And since when with Hermione Granger? If they were to be together though, the thought seemed quite natural that they would eventually want to reproduce. He knew that Hermione would want that, why wouldn't he give her that? Why would he not give her anything she desired?

Because it was dangerous. Never make yourself vulnerable. Never give, or they will come to expect it. Never show feelings, or they'll read you like a book. He had to keep some secrets, didn't he? If Hermione wanted to understand him so badly, she was going to have to accept that.

He closed his eyes again and sighed deeply. It wasn't going to work that way though. He laced his fingers over his still clothed belly. Damn it!

Slowly, he rose off the bed and made his way in the dark over to her cot. As he passed the desk, his hand swept over a single candle and it lit, providing a little light. He hovered over her bed and watched her like that, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light before he kneeled. His thick robes cushioned his knees and he leaned against the bed as if he were about to pray. He watched her for a few minutes, positive she was deeply asleep before he reached forward and let the back of his hand brushed her cheek.

Hermione startled awake, "Severus!" she gasped, "Wha...? Is something wrong? What time is it?"

Snape shook his head, "Nothing's wrong." he murmured quietly, "I just thought you should know- I was born on the ides of January, during a snow storm, Some forty-two years ago."

Hermione looked utterly confused "Wha?"

"You asked when I was born."

Hermione blinked, "Yes, I did." She waited and Snape spoke again

"And I became a Death Eater by force and fear for my life... and that of my family."

Hermione's brow furrowed. She sat up slowly, her eyes locked on Snape's dark orbs. The candlelight provided a dark yellowish flicker throughout the room and on his right cheek, the other half of his face hidden in shadows. She pulled the sheets up against her chest and nodded to show she was paying attention.

Severus took a deep breath and rose from the floor where he knelt. He was mostly silhouette in Hermione's view now- just a black image against a quiet, dim room as he began to move away, "No, Please, don't go. Tell me more?"

Snape stopped and turned slowly turned back, looking a little irritated, "What? More?" His dark eyes glinted the candlelight, "I answered your questions."

"But..." She wanted to know more, but knew in order for him to give more, she had to give in return. "Is there nothing you want to know about me?"

Snape frowned, but Hermione couldn't see it in this light. Slowly he nodded, "Very well." He returned to kneel next to her bed, "Your date of birth?"

Hermione blinked and shrugged, "September nineteenth, nineteen seventy-nine." She watched him as his eyes traced unseeingly ashe figured the math.

There was an uneasy silence as his eyes met hers at this point. Hermione broke eye contact and looked down at her hands. That made her twenty-four years younger than he. She shifted a little as the thought made her a little uneasy. His hand came over hers and she paused before lifting her eyes.

"You're the oldest. For some reason I thought you were younger than Potter and Weasley" Hermione noted the warmth of his fingers as they wrapped around hers.

"No." She shook her head, "The quill took my name, but had I been born 18 days earlier, I would have been at Hogwarts the year before."

Snape squeezed, "Fate had a hand in that. Where would your friends have been if you hadn't have been here?" A smirk lifted his lips, "I doubt they would have gotten as far as they did... let alone survived to defeat the Dark Lord."

Hermione gave a crooked grin, "I don't want to think about it," She whispered knowingly and with just a bit of humor. "Would you like to ask me something else?"

Snape stared at her a moment- enough to make her a bit uncomfortable again. She endured his dark eyes though and met them with her own chocolate brown. He tilted his head, "What was your favorite course here, at Hogwarts?"

Hermione's brow lifted and she allows a huge grin at that point, "I have to choose?" And giggled as he nodded, "Well, charms were too easy for me. Divination was- forgive me- bullocks. Herbology, Arithmancy, History of Magic, Astronomy," She winced a little, but quickly went on, "Defense against the Dark Arts...depending on the professor teaching, and well... Potions." She smile at him, "I enjoy potions immensely, even if the professor was a little hard to work with sometimes."

Snape raised an eyebrow, "Simply because I do not want half the castle destroyed by foolish students, does that make me hard to work with?"

Shaking her head, Hermione sighed, "You could have been a little easier on us."

Snape narrowed his eyes, "I do not have to make excuses for the way I teach my classes." He began to stand again, "Especially to a know-it-all young woman who I thought would have understood my reasons for being the way I am."

He turned with such a precise and quick 180, she felt the breeze from his robes. "Professor..." She bit her lip and sighed immensely, "I..." She grimaced and simply stood, walking after him in just her nightgown, "Okay, I realize why you have to be an ass. I accept that. I found the opening to tell you that and I didn't want to miss the opportunity. How many former students get to tell their professors they enjoyed their class, but think they can be a total dick?!"

Hermione squeaked when Snape stopped abruptly in front of her. His back straightened, though he didn't turn, "A... dick?" He questioned softly.

In for penny, in for a pound, "You know, a wanker, a pecker, a sexual organ that is smaller than the whole of your _friggon_ brain and can't even begin match the size of your ego."

Snape took a deep breath and rotated his head in a circle, feeling the tension at the base of his scull, "Miss Granger? How do you expect me to respond to that?" He sounded calm, "I'd expect the fact that I am your tether between here and what appears to be intense pain would keep you from speaking so foolishly."

Hermione lifted her chin, "You won't."

"Granger, don't challenge me so."

"I'm not, I'm stating fact."

Snape turned around, his eyes dark, yet tired-looking, "I won't," He admitted, "But that doesn't keep me from imagining it." His eyes widened and brow lifted just a bit to emphasize this point to her. "Go to bed."

Hermione smirked and he hated it. "Alright." She stepped around him and climbed into his huge bed, "Ohhhh, soft," She murmured

Snape watched her and tilted his head. The thought of how Hermione Granger was a strange and confusing creature running through his head before he walked around the bed to the other side, "Good night," he mumbled as he sat, his back to her.

Hermione's arms snaked around his shoulders and Snape stiffened in surprise, "Hermione..."

"Relax," She whispered and began massaging his shoulders, taking pleasure in how his breath hitched and his shoulders seem to melt under her fingers. "You're tense."

"So I've been told." Snape murmured and let his head bow under Hermione's ministrations. His breath slowed and his mind drifted as her fingers ran down her back, digging in at the tough knots enough to make him grunt.

"Take off your robes." Hermione instructed and Snape's head lifted.

"What will that accomplish?"

"Several things, but the only thing on my mind right now is getting at this knot." She pushed enough to slide the Potions Master off the bed with her fist.

He nodded, and stood before she knocked him off and drew the black wool off his shoulders. And just for insurance, he pulled off his black outer coat as well, leaving him only in a white shirt. He saw Hermione's eyes widen and his lip quirked, "Problems, Miss Granger?

"Ummm... no, none at all." She looked down and flexed her fingers until Snape sat back down. She didn't touch him however, "Lay down?" she asked.

He turned and glanced over his shoulder and this time, smirked fully, before lying down on his belly, his head burying in a feather pillow.

Hermione looked at the Potion's master in his black pants, white shirt and his head deep in a fluffy pillow and took a deep breath, biting her lip. She swallowed deeply and took another deep breath, hiking her gown and straddling his bottom before beginning his massage again and before her mind went further into the gutter.

Snape felt the warmth of Hermione's center though the clothing on his bottom. He squeezed his eyes tightly as she began on the first knot and hoped she thought he was just wincing in pain. What he was actually trying to do was not to think about that warm spot between Hermione's legs. Tried not to imagine what she looked like now in her gown, her breasts loose and firm under the material, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders and bending over Snape in a look of deep concentration.

Snape groaned loudly and Hermione yelped as she was thrown off and Snape turned over. He was above her in a second, his hands grabbing hers, "I must apologize for this, Miss Granger, but..." He loss his words, amazingly. Instead of speaking, he leaned in and kissed her. There was nothing chaste about this kiss as he placed her hands on his shoulders and deepened to taste her completely.

* * *

Ides of January is the 13th. I thought about the Ides of March (the 15th), often considered a day of doom because of Julius Caesar's unfortunate end, but Snape just seems more of a winter child to me.

Taken from the HP Lexicon- Britain's cut off date for School is September 1st.


	13. Questioning What You Know

Disclamer- I own nothing. There.

Thanks- To betareader Kajisgirl and to all those who review. Thanks so much!

Appologies- I've been trying to write this chapter for a few weeks now and have been having many troubles on where to go. There were actually 3 versions before this.  
As well, my life is about to take a huge 180. I start rehearsals for _Harvey_ on Monday. And due to a slight change in plans, my fiance will be arriving from England this weekend and staying through the holidays. I will have next to no time to write.

Please forgive me?

-Reason

* * *

Chapter 13- Questioning what you know.

Hermione didn't know at first how to respond. There were several thoughts that seem to numb her instead... all of which, if Snape had heard them, would have sent him into shock or a possible cardiac.

Snape, however, was consumed by her- like kindling in a roaring fire. He was so intoxicated simply by her smell that he wanted more, and seemed only a bit surprised when she didn't fight him off. Her hands gripped his shirt and fisted, pulling him closer. Which he was more than happy to comply.

His lips opened and suckled upon her lips, his tongue snaking out to taste her. Her mouth opened in return and he couldn't hold back the groan of need he expelled.

"We shouldn't..." Hermione whispered breathlessly when she was able to back away from the kiss.

Snape stopped, his dark eyes searching her face before he slowly nodded and backed away. He sat up and his hands, as if searching for something else to do besides touch her, smoothed his white shirt.

"Professor... Severus. I," She swallowed, "I...just."

"It's the curse. You don't need to try and explain."

The surprise on Hermione's face was evident as she blinked before reluctantly nodding, "Do you think so?" She whispered, her intelligent mind trying to analyze what they'd just done.

"I have few doubts." He whispered and lifted his chin, staring at her enigmatically. He cleared his throat and rose from the bed, "Why wouldn't we desire the other to be near when being apart causes such pain?"

"Even to the point of... sexual desire?" she questioned and blushed, a hand lifting and running through her waves of hair, "Oh, Merlin's robe!" She clenched her eyes shut and shivered. She didn't want to think the feeling of intense desire and lustfulness was from the curse, but he could be entirely right, it could be. Hermione looked up to see Snape staring into the darkness as he thought

"It is entirely possible," He whispered and Hermione was surprised at how soft his voice was. It was smooth and soft like the velvet under her fingers. He turned to her and stared silently for a moment. "Or I could desire you, despite the curse. Though I seriously doubt it. Mudbloods have never been my type."

Hermione looked away abashed and bit her lip, "I see." She said tersely. "Well, I'll..." She seemed at a loss for words. Her head lifted and Snape could see the light reflecting from tears in her eyes. She swallowed and nodded. "I see...I'll just go back to my bed, professor." She murmured and slipped away, her eyes avoiding his stare as it followed her back to her cot. She waved a hand over the candle as she passed it and the room was drenched in thick, tangible darkness.

Snape listened to the springs of her cot squeak under her weight as she sat and eventually lay down to sleep. He sat up for a good while himself, his eyes staring into the shadows. He couldn't see her now, but knew she still lie there, a beacon calling him to her. Eventually, he clenched his jaw and could feel his teeth grind against the other in anger. It _had_ to be the curse. He would not let himself hold feelings for the stupid, silly girl. He lay down and let sleep be damned. If it were to come, it would. If it didn't, what did he care?

* * *

"You look... tired, Severus." Albus remarked with a twitch of his lips and twinkle in his light blue eyes.

Snape's dark eyes lifted ever-so-slowly from his soup to the Headmaster across the table. His eyes then flicked to Hermione who buried her nose further into a book as she sipped her soup, trying not to pay an ounce of attention to their conversation. When he looked back to Dumbledore he grunted, "I am." He said matter-of-factly, "There are a lot of theories in my head. They kept me up most of the night."

Hermione turned the page and cleared her throat.

Dumbledore glanced in her direction and sipped the soup from his spoon. "Any closer to an antidote to the curse?" he questioned and though he seemed to be addressing Hermione, Snape answered.

"We have a few. Sinistra was... _kind_," he fought the word as it left his mouth. "...enough to leave some research she has done on romantic curses. It is appearing to be helpful. However, any information after what little research I accomplished yesterday is a miracle."

Dumbledore paused before turning his eyes back to Snape, "Aurora was kind to do so." His eyes stared in curiosity as if he were wondering what occurred for Snape's words to be terse.

Snape chewed a vegetable carefully. He swallowed and lifted his fork, addressing the headmaster after a moment, "When did Sinistra begin teaching here?"

Dumbledore dipped the spoon in his bowl and brought it to his lips with little drops of broth running down his whiskers before he wiped them away in thought, "Oh, a few years after her graduation, I would say. I remember Professor O'Ryan retired and I informed they ministry we were looking for a competent astronomy teacher. When the sent me Aurora I couldn't turn them down. She's very good."

Snape swirled his spoon in his soup, bringing pieces of celery to the surface, "And her response to the Dark Lord?" he questioned.

Hermione's spoon dropped to the floor with a clang. She quickly grabbed it and murmured an apology as she began wiping it off with her napkin. Snape didn't pay any attention as he focused on Dumbledore.

Albus lifted his chin, "She was never part of the Order, if you want to know." He shook his head, "However, there were a lot of people who weren't, Severus."

"I'm aware." He glanced at Hermione and stood, "Miss Granger, I believe we should go back to my rooms and continue our research."

Hermione frowned and looked up from her spoon polishing, "I want to go to the library first." She stated. "This book refers to another that we don't-"

Snape cut her off, "There are plenty of other books in the room that we have yet to touch. You don't need to go to the Library."

"No, my mind is on this train of thought, I can't just leave it there."

Snape growled, "Depart the bloody train and let's go ba-"

"Severus..." Albus murmured, his voice soft, but firm. "Miss Granger, why don't you write the book down and I'll obtain it for you." He stood as well, "I'll bring it to the dungeons this evening."

Hermione nodded and quickly jotted it down on a scrap of parchment. Snape's eyes widened and he sneered before stomping off. Hermione gasped and grumbled as she realized he wasn't going to stop before he came to the threshold and closed her book quickly and left the paper on the table, "Thank you for lunch, Headmaster." She murmured and dashed to catch up with Snape. Without a word, she fell in step next to him. Once safely in the hall, she looked up at Snape and noticed his jaw was set and his eyes stared forward to his direct path. "Please... slow down?"

"If you can't keep up with me Miss Granger, I have no thoughts of leaving you behind." He murmured, but slowed his step a hair.

"You don't mean that." Hermione's jaw was just as set, "You don't."

Snape didn't turn, but kept walking, "I have more important things to do than to argue with you about what I think when I know exactly what the hell I think." His voice was low and dark and Hermione was so surprised by it she felt a chill run down her spine.

"You were actually civil to me yesterday at one point. You run like water in the second floor girl's bathroom, hot and cold." She caught up and took his robes before the crossed another threshold. "Please, professor," She asked again, "slow down."

"Miss Granger, you may not want to dispel this curse..."

"Of course I want to dispel it!" She yelped and took 2 steps for every one of his. "I'm researching harder than I ever did for any of your classes! But I'm analyzing more than books and words here. This is personal. I'm also analyzing my feelings. You can't tell me you're not doing the same!"

Snape stopped short and Hermione bumped into him, falling back on the stone floor with an oof. She looked up bewildered at the Potion Master's backside. She could see his hands clench and unclench before he turned. This was the only sign of his unease. He reached down with his palm open as he offered to help her up. She blinked in surprise, her eyes moving between his face and the rough fingers. Not a word was spoken between them, but as she took it, she felt the warmth and calluses, the delicate yet thick fingers of a powerful wizard. They looked at each other for a long moment after she rose and Snape lifted her fingers to his lips. He kissed the knuckles and closed his eyes, lingering in their softness. His lower lip trembled with the fear and desire to take her, push her against the wall and kiss her again like his did last night. She shook his head and opened his eyes. She was staring at him. He could see she was unsure herself and he sighed, "Yes." He admitted, "Yes, I have feelings. My heart is not as stone cold as you and your Gryffindor friends once thought, Miss Granger. However, in this state, it is difficult for me to decipher lust and need between the true intentions of the curse. I don't like being out of control."

"You hurt me with what you said last night." She admitted and clenched her jaw.

Snape didn't speak. His eyes lazily staring at her with those black obsidian orbs. "It is the way I am." He whispered finally, "If we are truly soul mates, you are required to understand that."

"Understand, yes. But I don't have to like it."

Slowly, Snape nodded, "That's fair." He gripped her hand tightly, "We need to continue the research," he turned to go back to the rooms but was stopped when Hermione didn't move.

"Why can't we just let it be?"

Snape's head turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow as if the answer was entirely obvious, "Because this was not how you and I were supposed to come together." And with a slight tug, he took her back to his quarters for further study.


	14. Sibling Rivalry

Yay!! After a 3 month breather with my fiancé, I'm finally back in the saddle with new ideas and thoughts! I have no shows going on now so I can devote plenty of time to Severus and Hermione. Doesn't that make you happy?! It does me!

Thanks to Spinnerclotho for beta reading this and my apologies to Kajisgirl because I was so anxious and wanted to post this.

Disclamer- I do not own Harry or the Potters. Thank you.

* * *

Chapter 14- Sibling Rivalry

Sinistra sat in her office, idly gazing up. Her ceiling matched that of the Hogwarts Great Hall. The only difference was that it showed the sky as night, no matter the time of day. She smiled and watched a shooting star streak across the sky. She would have been the only one to see it, considering her enchanted ceiling and the fact that it was only late afternoon. "Make a wish," she murmured, closing her eyes.

She wasn't at all startled by the knock on her door, as she was more perturbed than anything. She opened her eyes, gazing at the door in annoyance, a black eyebrow raised. "Come in," she invited, and the door opened to reveal a dark figure. "You know, if anyone knew you were here..." she murmured, turning away from the door. The stranger let himself in the rest of the way, closing it behind him.

"I'm well aware," came the whispering voice. "I hear the Granger girl has awakened."

"Young woman, not girl." Sinistra remarked. "Why do must you refer to everyone of the female sex as 'girl'? I find it very distasteful." She sighed and turned back. "And an interesting way to start a conversation. My only assumption is that it is displeasing to you?"

"Of course." He sat down in one of her cherry wood chairs and sneered. "What a disgrace! Bella couldn't even get that spell right!" He shook his head, a strand of black hair falling from his ponytail, which he tucked back in with ease. "What do you plan to do about it?"

Sinistra's green eyes widened and flashed briefly, "Me? My dear, I have no plans whatsoever."

"Ah, damn it Aurora!" The man got to his feet in a huff. "Damn you and your romanticism! Don't you remember what we are?! Who we are!?"

"Snape is not my enemy!" she retorted. "He never has been," she said more softly. She turned her head sharply away and stared at the floor. "It's no fault of his own."

The man touched his left clothed forearm with a bit of fondness. "Yes, but there are other things which are his fault." His voice held an edge of disgust.

Sinistra shook her head. "And that, I'll have no part of." Her voice trembled slightly, but her eyes held steady on the man across from her. "I suggest you leave, Aran. I've held your secret long enough. It's been a burden for longer than I can remember. If you don't leave this moment, I swear, I will tell Dumbledore the Ministry missed one of the Dark Lord's Deatheaters."

Aran's black eyes narrowed and a crooked grin spread across his face, "You wouldn't tell, Aurora. And you know why? Because I hold everything- our money, our prestige, everything. The Sinistra name is what has gotten you this far. What would happen if it were... sullied by the idea that you could even have been one of his followers-"

"But I wasn't!" she protested. "I begged, Aran, for him not to hurt you. I did everything for our family."

"Except what you _should_ have done, Aurora. You should have kissed his feet and swore fidelity to him."

"I would have wound up dead, and you know it. I have more sense than that."

"So, you remained neutral... on the sidelines watching as if it were a Quidditch match. You disgust me, sister," he spat, turning around curtly, his cloak fluttering around him.

"I'll not interfere with Snape and Granger..."

"Oh, but you already have." He stopped short of the door and turned his head, glancing over his shoulder. "You gave them the notebook, didn't you?"

Sinistra's eyes widened. "How would you know about that?"

Aran smirked, "Because, dear sister, that's exactly what I expected you do to. You may serve your purpose for the Dark Lord's cause yet." He opened the door and slipped out.

"Aran - what did you do!? ARAN!" She ran to the door as he closed it behind him and tried to yank it open. "Aran!" she shouted as she clumsily pulled out her wand. "Alohomora!" she yelled. The door not only unlocked, but flew open with a bang. She ran out into the hall, her blood red robes whipping around her, but he was gone. She knew by her open observatory door that he'd escaped that way and was long gone.

"Damn you, Aran Sinistra," she sneered as she went back to her office. As she slammed the door with a scream, the remainder of the Astronomy tower was quiet. Not even did the Hogwarts ghosts dare disturb the raven-haired professor.

* * *

The storm raged outside and inside the heavily pregnant woman yelled in her pain and anguish of labor. Auster Snape watched distantly and impassively as his wife gave birth while the healer told her again to push. He narrowed his eyes with each scream she emitted, as if it did, in fact, pain him slightly. He did not dare to interfere for several reasons, however. One, the child was breech and two, it was not his place to be there, though the healer allowed him as long as he didn't touch his wife.

It was cold outside; so very cold that the storm that seethed was not of water but of ice and snow. Rarely had he heard thunder during a snowstorm, but this time it shook the windowpanes of the Snape estate with such fierceness that Auster thought they might crack with the strain.

He was staring with such obliviousness that the sound of a little girl's voice startled him. "Dada... Is mummy all right?"

Auster's black eyes softened as he looked down at the little girl. No more than four, she stood at his knee and stared up at him with those onyx orbs, filled with wonder and fear. Auster reached out to her, and with surprising tenderness, lifted the girl up and onto his lap, pulling her to his chest, "Yes, Melinda. Mummy is just experiencing the pain of life. Your brother will be here shortly and with him- a joy of life. You see, we must understand pain to appreciate love and happiness."

Melinda nodded slowly and rested her head on her father's chest. Even amid the screaming and thunder, she fell asleep. He decided that his daughter's place was not here and caught the healer's eyes, "I'll be back in just a few minutes. If I'm needed..."

"I'll call, sir," the healer murmured, as she wiped a cloth over his wife's forehead. She looked tired, he noted, and deathly white. He'd seen so much blood... Auster tried not to think about it and shook his head, leaving the room with Melinda, sucking her thumb on his shoulder.

When he returned and his daughter safely tucked back in bed, he noted a deathly quiet. No screaming could be heard, nor any gasps of pain. He opened the door to find the healer, holding a small bundle in her arms and, which he didn't seem to quite understand, wearing a pained expression. "Sir..." she swallowed, "I'm sorry, it…it happened so quickly… I didn't have time..."

Snape looked at her then looked at his wife on the bed, limp with lifelessness. "Kara?" he murmured brokenly. He sat down in the chair next to his wife's bed and took her cold hand. The realization was like a lump, a huge brick that sank into the pit of Auster's stomach. "How old is the boy?" he whispered, and the healer swallowed before replying.

"But a few minutes, sir." She took a few steps to Snape and looked down at him, holding the bundle securely. "Do you wish to hold your son, sir?"

Auster didn't answer for several moments, but squeezed his wife's dead hand until his knuckles were white. "I do," he said finally, turning and letting the hand fall from his grasp.

The healer placed the quiet baby in his arms and Auster looked down at him. The baby was asleep... and he noted, so was the rest of the house. His wife, of course, was quiet with peaceful death, the storm no longer thundered and this baby boy, though through a severe birth, had persevered and was now asleep. "Severus," he whispered. He didn't know where the name came from, for he could never remember hearing it before, but it sounded right.

"Is that his name, sir?" the healer asked.

"Yes, Severus Snape."

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A/N- I know it seems a bit weird, but I am going somewhere with this, be patient. I'll be back to our heros in the next chapter. 

Reason


	15. Snape's trust and distrusts

Thanks so much for keeping me on my toes, guys! I can't thank you enough! This story is constantly in my thoughts and tomorrow morning I'm starting chapter 16.

Thanks: To artemisgirl and KajisGirl for Beta-ing. I owe you guys something. I think it'll be in the next chapter. hehe

Disclamer: I do not own Harry, I do not own him, Jen I am. I can not own him in a box, I can not own him with my socks. I would not own him in a car, I would own him near or far.

Chapter 15- Snape's trust and distrust 

Hermione yawned and covered her mouth with the hand that wasn't holding her book. Snape glanced up and then back down at his own text. He knew she was exhausted. He sighed deeply himself. He repositioned himself, moving into a more comfortable position. His eyes were growing tired, but he shook the thought of sleep once more from his head, not wanting to appear weaker than his former student.

His stamina was not tested however, for the next time he looked over at Hermione, he noticed her head was drifting precariously over the book as though she may fall over any second. Snape smirked and nodded. It was a good excuse for them to go to bed.

He closed his book and stood, walking over to the sleeping woman and leaning down, taking her own book from her.

"Huh!" she exclaimed, being startled awake, "I'm awake!" she protested as Snape marked her page with a scrap of paper, ignoring her protest.

"Not for long, Miss Granger." He let an amused smile meet her. "You're falling over in your chair. If you don't go to sleep soon, you'll be sleeping on the floor. I don't think I could stand it if you caught a cold. It would drive me insane, as you would have to rest and wouldn't be able to study. You would be up all night coughing and hacking and there would be disgusting tissues. Not to mention there would-"

"Okay, okay. I get your point." She sighed, standing up abruptly and nearly falling, as her mind was still drenched in sleepiness, "Oh!"

Snape moved quickly and caught her before she fell. There was a tableau, as she just stared up at him wide eyed, motionless. "I'm sorry," she whispered quickly. To her surprise, however, Snape actually smiled down at her.

"Don't be," he murmured, before leaning down to her. Before Hermione knew what was happening, he touched his lips to hers. She sucked in breath tightly as if a little stunned, but then relaxed and closed her eyes. If that wasn't enough, Snape perused her lips with his tongue and requested entrance. She did so slowly, unhurriedly and touched her tongue to his.

His taste was of spice and citrus, of oranges and tea from dinner. He was so warm and inviting - a cliché for any kiss, but accurate nonetheless. She lifted her hand from his shoulder and ran it though his hair. She moaned softly in reverence as her fingers intertwined and ran through the dark mane.

Snape broke the kiss then and raised an eyebrow, "Miss Granger, I think you need sleep."

Hermione looked slightly dazed and confused, "Why?"

Severus shook his head and let out a low chuckle. "You're moaning and running your hands through 'the greasy git's' hair. Clearly, you need sleep."

Hermione smirked, pulling away and straightening her top as she did so, appearing amused as well. "It's not so bad," she sighed, looking down rubbing sleep from her eyes, "I enjoyed it."

Snape's eyes sobered and he nodded. "As did I." He reached up and traced one thin finger down her cheek. "Would you object to another?" he questioned.

Hermione's eyes came back up and she smiled shyly, shaking her head "No, not at all." She leaned forward, closing her eyes and presented her lips in anticipation.

Knock-knock-knock. Damn!

Hermione's eyes opened, reflecting the startled panic she felt as her heart leapt a mile out of her chest. But Snape, who was anticipating the kiss as well, managed to turn without missing a beat. "Who is it?" he barked sharply.

"It's Albus, Severus," came the response. "I won't be long. Sorry it's so late."

Hermione turned away, her face burning as she stacked the papers on her desk and sorted the books she'd read from the ones she hadn't touched yet into piles. Snape reached forward and touched her back, his hand brushing over her shoulder, squeezing gently. "Keep that thought," he murmured in her ear, causing her to swallow hard as he released her and went to the door.

He opened the door. "Please don't be long, Albus. Miss Granger and I were just about to go to bed," he said, beginning to remove his wool over shirt. "And we'd like to do so soon as we've still a long ways to go."

Dumbledore made his way over to Snape's desk and nodded as he sat. "Yes, I imagine you do," he commented, looking up at Hermione from across the desk, his eyes twinkling as he winked. Again, she blushed and looked down at her notes as if they had suddenly become _extremely_ interesting at that moment.

Snape sat on his bed and began pulling off his shoes. "Well, out with it, then," he prompted.

Albus reached over and found what he sought - Sinistra's notebook. Snape sat up as he watched Albus flip through it, finding the pages of the _Bellulus Soporo. _"This is my reason- has it proved helpful?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged. "A little," she said. "It's mostly what we know already. History of the curse, famous incidents and a conclusion that the curse was reversed and the recipients lived-"

Snape, loudly clearing his throat, cut her off. "Needless to say, her notebook has not been as useful as we initially thought it might."

Dumbledore sighed. "A shame. Have you looked at any of the other studies she included here?"

Snape snorted. "I do not deem her childish school year writings worthy of our time, honestly. We have the academic writings of hundreds of wizarding scholars to decipher. I hardly hold my respect for Sinistra that high."

Dumbledore looked slightly puzzled. "Why is that Severus?" Albus asked. Hermione looked up and paled just a bit while Snape crossed his arms.

"Her interest in this is just entirely too close, I believe. There's something I can't put my finger on, Albus, but once I do it will be immediate."

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. "How so? Do you believe her to be a danger?"

Hermione stood and sighed, bringing attention to her, "Professor Dumbledore, she pushed me last night after she brought the notebook to us."

Dumbledore looked entirely puzzled. "Pushed? Did she harm you, Miss Granger?"

"Pushed her over the threshold into the loo," Snape clarified.

Dumbledore stood slowly, "And of course the result was as expected?"

Snape nodded. "It was. However..." Snape stood himself and went around his bed, swiping a hand over the candle there and lighting it. "I know her reasoning was to see _my_ reaction. I believe it is what she hoped for."

Dumbledore looked disturbed at first, but then his eyes twinkled impishly, "Ah, I see. However, I am glad that you are all right, Miss Granger." He turned to Hermione and reached forward to take her hand. "Professor Sinistra has a mischievous streak, but I do not condone her actions nor her purpose behind pushing you over the threshold. Do you wish me to speak to her?"

Snape spoke up and turned, "No, Albus. That won't be necessary."

Hermione's jaw dropped, slightly insulted, as she believed it was her place to speak. Snape gave her a direct look, his dark eyes boring pointedly as if to say be quiet. She huffed, but nodded and turned as Albus looked away and then back at her. "No, not necessary, Headmaster," she agreed reluctantly, heading off into her corner of the room to begin getting ready for bed.

Snape's eyes followed her, daring her to turn around and speak up again. The potions master refocused his attention on Albus as the old man began speaking. "Be that as it may, Severus, should an occurrence happen again I demand to be told. I find Sinistra's behavior out of character in my dealings with her."

Severus nodded and escorted Dumbledore to the door, saying, "I'll let you know immediately, Headmaster." As soon as the lock clicked and Snape turned around, Hermione came at him from her corner, her face contorted in tight anger and a finger raised.

Snape brought a hand up, cutting her off before she even started. "I have my reasons, Hermione. I implore you to hear me out."

The use of her first name somewhat surprised Hermione and she slowly lowered her hand, clamping her jaw shut as well. "Very well," she said tightly.

Snape gestured for her to take a seat on his bed as he began unbuttoning his white inner shirt. "I bore the dark mark on my arm for over twenty years." As if to emphasis his point, he slipped the shirt off over his left forearm and showed her now unblemished skin. His finger traced the skin because he himself could still see the snake and skull... its pain burned into his soul until death. "There are some who wish it never went away."

Snape looked down to Hermione's face and she felt his eyes. She lifted her head and looked up at him with her own brown eyes in confusion. "I really don't see what-"

He cut her off with a mere look, "You'll understand, just listen." She pressed her lips together and nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"The Death Eaters have a very elite way of initiating newcomers. A way that will either prove your fidelity or kill you." Snape walked over to his set of drawers and pulled a clean nightshirt from it. "Make or break you." He sighed as if he were very tired. "When I told you that I joined Voldemort to save my family, I wasn't telling you exact truth. I saved my family from them and myself. I just didn't realize I was ever going to have to.

"Within hours of my mark being placed, I was instructed to bring my sister to the Dark Lord. There, I knew what would happen. And I couldn't let it happen." He clenched his fists and growled. A dangerous sound for the story he was telling. He sat down next to Hermione on the bed. "I brought a poor girl who looked very much like Melinda. I raped her and slit her throat for the Dark Lord. Right there, on the floor in front of a dais he insisted on sitting upon"

He was quiet a long time, his eyes gazing distantly as if grasping at memories from a pensive. "I hid my father and Melinda after that." He turned to look at Hermione. "And brought my father's left ring finger with his wedding ring still attached to prove to Voldemort they were dead."

Hermione looked at him in stunned silence. She swallowed hard and looked down as if franticly searching for something to say. Snape reached forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I can be deceptive and manipulative, but I would not have those I love used against me." He chuckled softly, and it sounded frightening. "I believe Pettigrew stole my idea a few years later when he faked his own death." Snape looked amused by the thought, but Hermione continued to stare. He ignored her and standing, he moved over to their shared desks.

"Why did you tell me this?" she finally questioned. "This is the reason you don't trust Professor Sinistra?"

Snape turned back, in his hand a book he idly flipped through without looking, "Quite possibly," he said darkly, "For the Death Eater that had the gall to select my test for the Dark Lord was a Sinistra," Snape paused and looked up, "And he wasn't caught after the final battle."

Special thanks to Severusgirl, your reviews crack me up! And to Sarahantifany, welcome to the club. I'm so glad you chose to use your time to read my writing. I'm honored!


	16. Sweet Little Deaths

Disclaimer: I just don't own Harry Potter. It's not fair!

Thanks: Again to artemisgirl for beta-ing. And all the "bad monkeys" out there who read this fan fic. We know it's wrong, but we love it none-the-less!

Warning: Yep, It finally happened. They're doin' it. For some of you, this part should be titled "what to anticipate".

* * *

Chapter 16- Sweet little deaths 

Hermione stared blankly. "They haven't caught him?" she whispered. "How? Why haven't they!? Are they _that_ incompetent!?" Her voice began to rise.

Snape eyed Hermione and put down the book he held. "Do you think they'd do any better with Hermione Granger the trainee there?" he replied sardonically. "They don't need your help, believe me."

Hermione pursed her lips as she watched him begin to pace as he continued. "Think about this; there are other Death Eaters they've not caught and they all know one thing- The ministry knows where _I_ am and who _I _was and I've not been arrested and taken to Azkaban. Do you know what that tells them, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded with certainty. "They know you betrayed them."

"Very good," he praised patronizingly. "And that makes my life hinged on a very rickety frame. Dumbledore offers me shelter, but if Professor Sinistra is even remotely related to the Death Eater by the same name, I am wary."

Hermione stood, biting her lip. "Reasonably so. But Professor Sinistra has never expressed any loyalties-"

Snape sighed heavily. "No, she hasn't." Snape went to the side of his bed and waved his hand, putting all the candles out except for the one next to his bed. He then removed his trousers from under his nightshirt in the near darkness. "Sinistra's role with Voldemort nearly escaped my thoughts until after our dear professor pushed you last night." He stood and walked toward Hermione. "I need to think. We both need sleep. Go to bed." He waved her off.

"I'm not tired," she said, which earned her a groan from Snape. "No, really," she insisted

"Well, I am," he commented. He turned to his bed, bent over, and pulled back the covers. That's when he felt her hands roam over his back. What was it with women touching his back lately? What drove them to even touch him? He closed his eyes and a shiver ran through his blood "Hermione..."

"You told me to hold my thoughts before professor Dumbledore came in," she reminded him.

"Now isn't the time," he murmured, not turning, but not pushing her away either. "I need sleep. We have a lot of studying to do tomorrow. Didn't my story disturb you?"

"You can sleep when you die," she whispered. He felt her hot breath on his shoulder blade through the dark cotton of his nightshirt.

Snape shivered. "If I don't sleep, I will die," he murmured, but it didn't stop her. "If I kiss you again, will you go to bed?" He made it sound like it was the last thing he wanted to do, but knew without a doubt it was what they both wanted with every ounce of their being.

Hermione smiled and whispered as seductively as she could muster, "Yes."

Snape spun abruptly and took Hermione by her shoulders. He didn't dare stop; the spin, the grasp and the kiss were made in all one fluid motion. The kiss was hard, bruising her lips. Hermione didn't even have time to gasp in shock, but grabbed a hold of Snape's arms as if she were drowning. He was relentless in his kiss, brutal and passionate. He lifted his head only a moment to look down at Hermione. "Go to bed," he whispered huskily.

Hermione turned around with him still holding her and pulled on his shirt as they slid down onto his own bed. She gasped as he ran his hand up her side. Those dark eyes met hers and searched, desperate for a reason to say this was wrong and this wasn't the way they were supposed to come together. This spell was not fair to him, let alone her. It had created feelings that should have remained dormant until it was right, until it was time...

And who was he to say that the time wasn't right? Now, as he lay close to Hermione Granger and felt the heat of her though his simple nightshirt, who was he to say it wasn't time? The thought made him blink and startle. Hermione caught a glimpse of the uncertainty, but by the time it had passed she wasn't sure if she'd even seen the doubt in Severus Snape's eyes.

It was then he reached down and pulled her up to him, kissing her ever so carefully, slower this time, and deep. It took Hermione's breath away and when he laid her back down, she was breathless and quite flushed. "What do you know? How much have you experienced?" he asked huskily, his voice making her breath catch and she hiccupped in desire.

"I've..." she was slightly hesitant, embarrassed to tell the man who used to be her professor of her sexual experiences. "I've given, but have never received," she said cryptically, but Snape worked out the puzzle quickly.

"You've touched?" he asked and she nodded. "You've... licked?" he asked more pointedly and she closed her eyes, nodding again, "You've brought a man to pleasure, but have not received the pleasure yourself?"

She swallowed and looked away, biting her lip. "Yes."

"Who?" The question was out before the voice deep in his mind could say no. Once it was out, he winced.

Hermione shook her head. "No, it's okay. It's the past. Viktor Krum," she shrugged.

"It was nothing special to you though, was it?"

Hermione looked confused. "Was it supposed to be?!" She seemed offended by the thought that letting a man climax in her mouth would ever be special to her.

Snape shook his head. "No..." He then reached down and gave a slight tug at her jeans. "Do you trust me?" he asked softly, "Despite my previous dismissals with the contrary?"

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "You've trusted me tonight... I think I can do the same," she whispered in response.

Without looking, he slowly unbuttoned and pulled Hermione's jeans down. Slipping them over her well-shaped hips, he lifted her up so he could pull them from under her. He left her panties in place, planning their removal in his mind for a more sensual moment.

Once her jeans were on the floor and his eyes, which had never left hers, were still focused, his fingers slid back up her bare leg. "Shapely," he murmured, "firm... soft. Is the rest of your body the same?" he questioned.

Hermione blushed and she bit her lip. "I... don't really pay much attention..." Snape responded to this with a snort.

"You spend way too much time in the loo to just be running a comb through that mane of yours," he remarked, "Remember, I must occupy my time with both of us in there some how."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Do you spy on me?!" she gaped.

Snape frowned and shook his head, "It's difficult _not_ to..." _choose your words carefully, Severus,_ "..._appreciate_ the view, Hermione." As she flushed further he added, "Though making it seem like I'm not observing, I've yet to enjoy a full view."

Hermione couldn't help but clear her throat and look away.

"And you have yet to as well..." Snape smirked and raised an eyebrow, not in question, but in satisfaction of knowing the truth. "Well, I'll not show you tonight." Hermione's eyes returned with a pout and his leer broadened. "Sweet satisfaction," he murmured and kissed her once more- his lips dipping down to her chin and then the hollow of her throat as her head fell back on the soft covert.

He'd been a lover once, a long time ago. Not exactly a lover, he corrected, as much as a courtier. He had learned the subtle art of giving his partner pleasure and enjoying himself in return. He was positive that what Hermione had experienced was nothing more than two teenagers rutting in heat and not knowing what to do about it. Sure, she had read books... possibly even smut, but knew very little of how sex actually worked mentally. That the give and take, the tug and bestow could cause the supplier of that pleasure joy as well.

Hermione had never felt the soft caresses of such brilliant fingertips. She smiled at that thought. Was there a part of him that wasn't brilliant? When his fingers slid up her shirt, she shivered and involuntarily let out a small moan. The physical touching sent pulses through her blood. "Ohhh..."

"Relax," he insisted and Hermione gasped as the clothing from her waist up disappeared. "I said relax," he murmured, as he emitted a soft laugh. "What have we here?"

Hermione couldn't exactly relax, as she lay there naked except for her underwear. She looked down at herself and blushed, "Oh, stars," she whispered, and Snape had to grin.

"Embarrassed?" he questioned in an amused tone.

"No!" she retaliated. "Just... chilled." Hermione cleared her throat and lifted an arm, her hand running through his black hair. "I love your hair," she whispered, "And your eyes are..."

"As dark as midnight pitch? Tar?"

"No…" She laughed softly and leaned up to kiss him. "They're beautiful."

Snape's eyes actually softened and he brought her close. "Trust me?"

"Yes," she whispered, as he slowly slid down her body. She watched him intently as he slipped her panties off leisurely. Her mouth suddenly went dry and her throat became incredibly tight as she swallowed.

He could already smell her arousal as he dipped his head, his hair covering her milky thighs. He took a deep breath of her musk, his lips making their way over her thighs. Not kissing, but sliding and tickling. Her gasps heightened his desire as his tongue sought her out. He could sense her inexperience and tenderly guided her reactions. He helped her spread her legs; he took her hands and laid them in his hair to encourage and to squeeze when she got close. And he touched her as she got nearer and nearer to the top. His fingers dove into her, just brushing her barrier, as she died her little death.

When he lifted his head, the sight that greeted him was something that made his pulse jump. Her head was back, her mouth still open from her climatic cries and sweat laced her forehead and curls around her face. The single candle lit in the room reflected the perspiration on her pert breasts as she gulped in deep breaths. It was enough to make his head spin.

When she finally opened her chocolate brown eyes they were glazed and wet from tears. His heart went out to her as he rose up and cradled her. "Your first orgasm?" he asked, kissing her forehead.

"Yes," she said dreamily, tucking her body close. "I'm not cold anymore." She smiled and Snape ran a hand through her curls.

"I sincerely hope not." Come to mention it, his body was warm as well. "Hermione..."

"Hmmm?"

He glanced down and noticed she was already falling asleep. "Never mind," he whispered deeply with a sigh. Sleep was a good thing, and he, after all, was the one who said it was needed.

He lifted and waved his hand, sending the single candle out with a wisp of smoke.

* * *

Call for artwork: 

I know some of you out there can draw, paint, illustrate. Has there been a scene I've written that just sticks inside your head? You can't get rid of the idea? Send it to me!! I'd love to see it! I'm even contemplating an incentive for the best work. Anyone interested, please email me!

Lady Reason.


	17. The Aftershocks

Disclaimer- The Harry Potter characters are not mine. Sinistra is not mine either, though I have taken many liberties with her due to her lack of description in the books.

Acknowledgments- Artie, my girl, thank you so much for your beta read.

To my artists- Thank you thank you, thank you! Pogovina who gave me _Soul Meets Soul on Lover's Lips_- and Aoden who gave me a perfectly sneering Snape (and for some reason, I can't post the links here. AHH! suggestions!)

For anyone interested- I've been working on a collaborative piece for the last couple years with my friend, Lady2beetle. It's an original and a small portion that can be found at fictionpress.

C_aptive Hearts_ is a romance that begins with young Christine's view of a land she is captive in. A land where male Lords rule and take on several women as mistresses to increase the chances of producing children since it is a rare occurrence. Love is unheard of and marriage is unthinkable- until poor Christine is accidentally Chosen.

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Chapter 17- The Aftershocks

Snape slipped into a deep sleep shortly after Hermione, his night dreamless and comforting. Hermione's warm body pressed to him most likely had everything to do with it, for it was a rare occasion that he didn't dream. Good or bad, dreams plagued him constantly. One night, he had dreamed that the dark mark had reappeared on his arm, and he had woken himself with bloody scratches on the now unblemished skin where he'd tried to scratch it off.

But now, he did wake, and knew it was morning by the quiet. It was a kind of silence that is only heard in the wee hours of the morning when no one is moving about, and no one is awake. He could feel her soft naked body against him. Though he couldn't see her, he caressed her back and realized that sometime in the night he'd pulled the blankets over them both. She snuggled even closer to him, taking a deep sighing breath of obvious comfort. He smiled and closed his eyes again, relishing in the feeling of being so content, as well as the love and trust she offered him, even in her sleep.

He then paused, the smile turning into a frown. Something was wrong, and it wasn't in his own bed. He could sense it. He heard…no, felt something. He stayed as still as possible, trying to get a sense of what was happening.

His senses told him there was someone else in the room. It was strange, as his wards must have been broken, but even then, the wards would have awakened him. It had to be someone with advanced magic who had some skill getting past wards. "Albus?" Severus wondered to himself. No, the old man would never come into his quarters without fully announcing himself. Even lighting every candle so he could see Snape flush with embarrassment at this position. No, it wasn't Albus. But then who was it?

He caught a scent. Female.

Sinistra!

Severus sprang to life, pouncing from the bed in the general direction of the intruding form. Even in his haste, his magic managed to light every candle, brightening the room to nearly daylight proportions so he could see the imposter. And there she was, her green eyes bright and panicked. She turned away just as Snape caught her shoulders, and turned her back around. "What do you want?" he growled.

Sinistra struggled and managed to pull away, but not before Snape realized she gripped something tightly against her. A book? Their notes? He couldn't tell. Instead, he chased her and caught her by her middle, sending them both to the floor. If Snape couldn't keep her there, he would make damn sure that she wasn't going to leave with some vital information Hermione and he and managed to stumble across.

She fought desperately, even using her nails at one point, which was completely unfair. With himself in just his nightshirt, she caused for several problems that he would never like to admit. Namely how she scratched at his arms, his face, his legs… and any other exposed piece of skin she could reach.

Hermione, having been woken from the noise, looked about, trying to make light from the sleepy grogginess about her. Surprisingly, her first thought of the day was not, 'Oh my god! I'm naked in Snape's bed!' as it would have normally have been. Instead, it was, 'Oh my god! Snape is on the floor with Sinistra and trying to get something away from her!' Giving no thought to her nakedness, Hermione sprang from the bed in the opposite direction from Snape and Sinistra. She made a mad grab for her wand, which lay next to the bed and turned, shouting. There was such a ruckus that Snape had no clue as to what had happened until he was roughly flung into the wall along with Sinistra, who was similarly shocked. Hitting the wall had little effect on her temper however, because once the spell had finished, she was back to fighting Snape with tooth and claw for the notebook.

"Let go of it, Severus!" she yelled, yanking it one more time.

This time, her tug pulled the both of them out the open door of Snape's quarters, and onto the floor. There was barely enough time for anyone to register what had happened. Hermione yelled, and Snape looked up at her, his eyes wide.

An hour later, Snape would be thinking that it hadn't so bad, but in truth, the Cruciatus Curse would have felt a whole hell of a lot better than what he was feeling at that moment. He couldn't remember if he cried out. He couldn't remember much anything except a blinding white pain coming from his gut, from his very core and center.

The reaction from the two women was that of shock for an unmeasured amount of time. Hermione stood there, anticipating pain, expecting to feel as if she were being torn apart. When the pain didn't come, it surprised her so much that she stood shock still for quite a while.

Sinistra, surprised at being so suddenly released by Snape, was unable to move either. She stared as he crumpled to the floor, his eyes clutched shut and his arms thrashing about his body, before opening his mouth and screaming his throat raw.

Snape cried out loudly in pain, though Hermione and Sinistra would never tell him that. It was his cry of pain that jolted both the women to move. Hermione ran quickly out into the hall and scraped her knees as she fell next to Snape. Sinistra, for fear that someone would see Hermione, pulled off her cloak and wrapped it around her, kneeling as well, with the notebook still in her arms.

Snape's breathing instantly relaxed as soon as Hermione was there next to him. He looked up at her, his dark eyes still holding a trace of pain, but swamped with thankfulness that she was there before he closed them again. "I'm sorry," she whispered, knowing exactly what Snape was experiencing.

Sinistra turned and looked at Hermione with puzzlement in her eyes. "What did you two do last night?" she asked, her green eyes holding no mischievousness as they had in the past. "You didn't make love. What did you do?" She gripped Hermione's shoulders and shook her slightly. "The pain has reversed! The spell has changed! What did you do?"

Snape was the one that finally grunted out an answer. "Hermione experienced her first orgasm at my hands last night." He opened his eyes again, but didn't dare to move just yet. Hermione looked down at him with wide eyes, a bit embarrassed.

Sinistra pulled the notebook from her chest, allowing Snape to see that it was the notebook she had given him and Hermione to aid them in their research. It was Sinistra's love spell notebook. She placed it flat on the floor and rapidly began flipping through the pages, before she stopped and looked at both Hermione and Snape. "Pages are missing," she murmured. "Oh, gods." There were tears in her eyes, and deep unbridled fear.

"I don't understand," Hermione whispered. "You didn't notice this before?"

"No, I didn't!" Sinistra turned back, a hint of anger in her voice. "This notebook has been safely hidden in my office for years. I had no reason to think there would be anything missing," she scoffed.

"But now you do," Snape groaned, as he sat up. Hermione put her arm under his elbow to help him, which he did not refuse. "Do you mind telling me what's going on, Sinistra, before I tell Albus how you broke my wards to get into my room this morning?" He looked up at the door and narrowed his eyes. "And just how **did** you break my wards?"

Sinistra swallowed as Snape's gaze returned to her. "I..." She was panicking again, her eyes holding worry and fear. "I can't tell you."

Snape raised an eyebrow, and quickly moved to snatch the notebook from the ground between them. Sinistra wasn't fast enough to retrieve her beloved notebook, and when she couldn't grab the book, she hid her hands as if trying to find something else to do with them.

"Hermione," Snape murmured. "Floo the kitchens for some breakfast. We have a long discussion with Professor Sinistra ahead of us."


	18. Revelations

Disclamer- Okay, I don't own them. I am however, in longing lust of Snape's body, but do not own long pause…it. evil grins

Acknowledgments- Kajisgirl, artemisgirl (for beta-ing) and severusgirl (Sometimes theories are correct ;) )

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Chapter 18- Revelations 

Snape paced, with Sinistra staring at him, and Hermione observed them both as she sipped delicately from her cup of tea. The sun was beginning to rise, but it couldn't be seen, as there were no windows in Snape's quarters. It made Sinistra feel cramped, and she rubbed her arms as if chilled. "Could we make this quick?" she requested.

Snape turned to stare. "You will not leave until I'm satisfied with your answers. And don't even think of lying to me, Aurora. I have plenty of Veritaserum and I'm aware that Hermione is very good at binding spells. We are not here for your convenience; you are here for ours."

Sinistra reached over and plucked a croissant from the plate. "Binding spells, eh?" she eyed Hermione with a smirk. "Well, I will tell you all that I can, but I ask that you respect what I cannot answer."

Hermione blushed fiercely, annoyed at the implication before looking down at her tea.

Snape snorted and eyed the Astronomy Professor. "You will tell me what I want to know whether you want to answer or not," he said curtly.

"Will you two stop bickering and Severus please start asking the questions, now?" Hermione retorted, rolling her eyes.

Snape narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, glowering at Hermione before he turned back to Sinistra. "What were you doing here this morning?" he demanded, simple and straightforward.

"I needed to get the notebook back," Sinistra answered just as simply.

"Why?"

"I feared that your lives might be in danger because of something I overlooked," she replied, her green eyes still locked with Snape's.

"Such as?"

"How am I supposed to know? I simply had a suspicion," she retorted.

Hermione poured some more tea for herself and looked up. "What gave you the suspicion?" the young woman asked.

Sinistra balked at that. "I can't say."

Snape ran a hand over his face, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "Why did you decide to come here this morning instead of simply coming when we were both awake?"

"I thought you might not give me the notebook back." Sinistra turned her eyes back to Snape and held out her cup for Hermione to fill. Hermione sighed and reluctantly filled the cup like an obedient serving girl. Sinistra then leaned back in her chair and sipped it carefully. "And don't ask how I broke your wards. I think you know how."

Snape's eyes turned steely hard. "Are you related to a Death Eater who escaped capture at the fall of the Dark Lord?" He leaned forward over the stacks of papers and notes, staring intently at Sinistra, who stopped sipping her tea.

"I'm appalled you would even imply-"

"Don't LIE to me!" He pulled back a hand and smacked the teacup out of Sinistra's palms. The hot tea spilled all over her robes and the fine porcelain shattered on the stone floor. Sinistra's eyes widened and she held up her hands in defeat.

"Yes," she whispered tightly. "Yes, I am." Her amused airs seeming to desolve.

Hermione nearly dropped her own cup at Snape's outburst and decided to relinquish her cup to the tray while she took out her wand. "_Scourgify,"_ she intoned, cleaning the mess from the floor. "Great! Wonderful! We have that out of the way," Hermione sighed sarcastically. "If you're going to break anything else, yell, or just generally destroy something, do you mind letting me know first, hmm?" Hermione sat back in her chair and gave Snape a disapproving look. "Professor," she turned to Sinistra. "What is the relationship?"

Sinistra turned away and sighed, biting her lip. "I do not keep relations with him, however hard he may try with me."

Snape raised a brow. "And when did he last see you?"

"Yesterday." Sinistra frowned in disgust. "He came to Hogwarts."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "And?"

"He has the pages!" Sinistra admitted, "I'm sure of it. He asked if I'd given you the book and he said he was counting on it. He'll use them against you, I fear. I... I can't remember what was written on them, but..." She reached out for the notebook, but Snape snatched it away again. "I won't take it," she promised, with an annoyed look.

Reluctantly, Snape gave her the notebook, but only after he saw that Hermione had her wand poised under the table. Sinistra flipped through the book. "Part of my notes on the _Bellulus Soporo_ are missing. I'll be damned if I can remember what they are." She looked up at Snape and Hermione and sighed. "I can't remember." She looked pitiful. "I'm so sorry, Severus."

Snape was taken aback by Sinistra's pathetic look. Her green eyes truly reflected her remorsefulness. "Straighten up woman!" he demanded. He snatched the notebook and fingered the rips he had never noticed before. His mind drifted in a different direction, and something tickled his brain. "When did you write this book? You said you studied love spells, but for what purpose?"

Sinistra's eyes darkened. "It doesn't matter now," she remarked. She sighed, and asked, "Do you mind if I leave now?"

"Yes, I mind, as I have a few more questions." Snape flipped through the book further, "There are other pages torn out." He held out the book for Sinistra to see, and she stared at the space.

"I tore them out," she said finally, still staring at the book, now seeming quite defeated.

"Why?"

"They held notes of the person I was going to cast a spell on to fall in love with me." Sinistra's voice was hollow. She felt her throat dry up and forced herself to swallow. "It was a long time ago, and I was very young and quiet stupid."

"Who were you going to cast it on?" he asked. "What unsuspecting creature were you going to bewitch?"

"Severus... please…"

"WHO?"

"My brother." Sinistra's jaw clenched and her eyes filled with painfully hot tears. "But that was before I found out that he was my brother. That's why I tore out the pages."

Snape's eyes widened, as that was not the answer he expected. He furrowed his brow and closed the book, handing it to Hermione.

Hermione stared at the notebook in her hands frowned as well. Opening the book back up, she fingered the old torn pages. "That doesn't make sense! If his name was Sinistra as well-"

"Oh, you are a hopelessly naïve, Granger!" Sinistra snapped at her, wiping the tears from her cheeks, "No... no, I should have realized it before- long before then." She looked up at the Potions master. "Auster Snape was my father."

* * *

I'm sorry it was so short, but oh! Tell me you didn't expect that! Yes, a few more twists and turns yet to come. 

LadyReason


	19. Strange Truths

A/N- I am _SO_ unbelievably sorry this has taken me so long to post. On the suggestion of a beta reader, I rewrote part of this chapter and then I held on to it for over 3 weeks after it was returned to me. I would say part of the reason was I helped form a new theatre company over the last few weeks and it's the truth, (Not-to-mention, a dream of mine for over a decade now), but to you- is that a good enough excuse? 

Acknowledgments- Kajisgirl, artemisgirl and the Dreadchicks for Beta-ing.

-Reason

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Chapter 19- Strange Truths 

Severus Snape had never been speechless in his life. There is a first time for everything, though, and this was it for him. It actually scared Aurora Sinistra to the point where she asked, "Severus?" He continued to stare at her, his mouth working to open and then close and open and close like a fish washed ashore in a storm.

Hermione too seemed surprised at Snape's reaction, before she asked, "Who's Auster Snape?"

Snape blinked as if drawn out of a strange mystical spell and turned his head, looking at Hermione as if he'd never seen her before. "Auster Snape is my father," he finally whispered.

"Which makes us siblings," Sinistra whispered tightly, still staring at Snape.

Snape's eyes snapped back to Sinistra's and he sneered. "Impossible." He murmured and reached inside his robes, pulling his wand. He pointed it at her and without words, lifted her up out of the chair. "It's impossible!" he snarled

Sinistra's eyes widened and her hands went to her throat. "Please! Severus! You're hurting me!"

"Bitch! I'll show you hurt! What proof do you have?"

Sinistra gasped and her eyes darted everywhere pleadingly. Hermione was up and out of her seat, tugging on Snape's shoulder in a matter of moments. "Severus! You're hurting her! Stop!"

"Hermione," Snape said quietly, his tone soft and deadly. "If you do not get your hands off me, I swear you'll be next." Hermione's gaped and she let go slowly, releasing his shoulder and taking a step back. He didn't stop staring at Sinistra; in fact, his spell strengthened to the point her robes gagged her. "Proof," he sneered, "NOW!"

As if the increase in volume jarred her, Sinistra startled. "Ring!" Sinistra gasped out. "'round my neck!"

Snape unceremoniously let the woman drop back down in the chair and pulled open her robes and blouse, exposing the unblemished pale skin of the night dwelling professor. There was a necklace with a ring that rested at the top of her bosom. Snape reached forward and grabbed the ring in his palm and snapped the chain with a yank. Sinistra quickly pulled her robes closed around her and continued to stare.

Hermione, for her part, didn't gasp or startle at Snape's movements, but held deathly still. She watched carefully and swallowed when Snape looked down at the ring.

He stared at the ring for a long time. An eternity, it felt to her. She thought she saw a sheen to his eyes before, with a blink, it was gone. He then got even quieter and it scared Hermione to death. He turned and dangled the ring in front of Sinistra. "Do you know what this proves!" he barked. "It proves NOTHING!" he dropped the ring back into her lap, his fingers unwinding from it as if it were disgusting and vile. "It only supports that the Sinistras are the Dark Lord's followers!"

Sinistra stared. "How?" She thought for sure that it was proof; a demonstration that she was indeed Auster's daughter.

"I suspect," Snape said, a hint of amusement in his dark angry eyes, "that you received the ring from the other Sinistra- your brother?"

Sinistra's lip trembled. "I did. He told me it was Auster's ring."

The lines in Snape's face smoothed somewhat. "It was." And then the lines returned. "And I initially presented to the Dark Lord with his finger still attached."

Hermione gasped. "Oh, Merlin." Her hand flew to her mouth. What Snape had told her the night before made perfect sense and she reached forward to grasp Snape's arm again. "She doesn't know! Severus! She doesn't know!"

"Know what!" Sinistra's eyes widened and shifted between Snape and Hermione.

"Auster Snape isn't dead!" Hermione spouted and Snape hissed, pushing her aside and grasping her shoulders.

"Have you no mind?" he whispered as he drew her across the room. "Only three people knew that! And if this is true, she is one of the _last_ people I want to know!"

"What proof do you need?" Hermione hissed back. "Look at her!" Snape glanced up and except for the eyes and nose, she looked like him... and amazingly, he recalled the first time he saw Aurora Sinistra, he thought she looked uncannily like Melinda, his full blood sister.

Snape swallowed and shook his head. "No. It's impossible!"

"Why is it impossible?" Hermione asked in a low voice. "You said your mother died when you were born. Why couldn't your father move on?"

Snape growled and gripped Hermione's shoulders tighter. "He loved my mother." _Just how I'm falling in love with you,_ he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to it. Because if there was any truth in this web Sinistra spun, he never wanted Hermione to doubt his feelings for her. "This is too much," he said finally, and let go of Hermione's shoulders.

"What is too much, Severus?" Snape looked up and Dumbledore was standing in the doorway. Snape's eyes widened, Sinistra paled and Hermione cleared her throat.

"Headmaster," Hermione nodded to the old man and tried to smile. "We didn't expect you."

Dumbledore took a seat at Hermione's desk, picked a croissant from the tray and poured a cup of tea. "Why not?" He glanced at Sinistra and smiled gently. "You are looking more pale than usual, Aurora." He observed. "Did Severus actually pull one of those ghastly eyeballs from a jar in his office and show to you?" Dumbledore tore the croissant in two and took a bite. "Or did he threaten to harm you when you told him you were his half-sister?"

Snape and Sinistra both began to speak at the same time, but the questions amounted to about the same, "How do you know?"

"I make it my business to know," Dumbledore chuckled, wiping his hands on his robes and brushing the crumbs from his beard. "I had my suspicions anyway." He shrugged and looked at Hermione. "Dear girl, you look a bit tired. How far have you both come on the spell reversal?"

Hermione blinked. "I..." She looked at Snape and shrugged, "ummm... You could say we found a reversal, but a reversal in polarity. Professor Snape is now experiencing the pains."

Dumbledore blinked and was about to ask how they had accomplished that, but Snape stopped him, getting back to the matter at hand. "Headmaster, you suspected this and still kept her on? This woman is possibly a traitor!"

Dumbledore raised his hand and shook his head. "She is no more of a traitor than you, Severus."

"He is my brother! Besides, if I knew where he was I would be one step ahead of you, Severus!" Sinistra turned to Dumbledore, "Headmaster, Aran is dangerous, I know. I feared for my life and my mother's while the Dark Lord still lived. I was forced to bow down to..." Sinistra choked and her green eyes were now filled again, "I bowed to him when he threatened all our lives. Now, I fear Aran more than ever- what he wants and what he is capable of. I can't be any more." Sinistra looked back up at Snape with pleading eyes. "He wants to see your life doomed and ruined. He knows and has used my…" She winced and licked her lips, "My obsession for you as a student against me. While the whole time he knew we were half-siblings."

"Besides that this whole mess being entirely ridiculous, we seem to have forgotten one thing," Snape pointed out.

"What is that?" Sinistra looked up as if to dare him to counter her words again. "what do you think I'm lying about now?"

"Aran is at least three years older than me," Snape pointed out. "He can't be my brother."

Sinistra chuckled and closed her eyes in relief. "That's because he's not," she sighed. "Don't worry, Severus. Your father was faithful to your mother while she was alive. My mother however, was entirely unfaithful to Aran's father."

"I can attest to that fact, Severus," Dumbledore murmured. "Your father did love your mother, Kara very much. He wouldn't have taken another woman to his bed while she was alive."

Snape pursed his lips. "He spoke so highly of my mother. How could he, even after her death, beget another woman with Aurora!"

Sinistra's head bowed. "You have no idea what happened, Severus." She shook her head. "I'm ashamed to say my mother seduced him. Aran loved mother through and through. He hated and blamed Auster for mother's disloyalty to his father. And, as if his hate could get any worse, he hates you even more for your involvement with the downfall of the Dark Lord."

"Oh, dear." Dumbledore sighed and took a sip of tea. "This will not do at all." He sipped the tea and closed his eyes. "I fear that I've made things even more difficult for you, old boy."

Snape nearly wanted to bury his head in the sand of the lake outside of Hogwarts at that ominous statement. He glanced at Hermione, who offered him only a pitying look. She however, reached over and took his hand as if to say she was there with him through this. Snape silently prayed that things wouldn't get worse and slowly turned to Dumbledore. "What did you do, Albus?" he asked forebodingly, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Dumbledore opened his eyes slowly and sadly. "I'm very sorry, Severus. You trusted me as the secret-keeper for your family and I have failed you. Believing everything was safe for you, I have sent an owl to Auster and Melinda. They're no longer in hiding, Severus. I am sorry."


	20. The Counter Spell

As Wormtail would bow down to the Dark Lord's feet, I too grovel for your forgiveness. It's been _far_ too long since I have submitted a chapter. I now believe I'm on the downward slope though. I can't thank you guys enough for your attention to this story. I am totally honored by your support!

Many thanks to artemisgirl for beta-ing. 

Reason

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Chapter 20- The Counter Spell. 

_Vengeance is a dish best served cold._

Whoever the fuck said that had never enjoyed vengeance the way one of Voldemort's followers did. Warm and sticky. The more they screamed the better. The more they writhed and pleaded and cried, the sweeter and more satisfying it was.

This is what Aran wanted. He wanted Snape to suffer, to plead, to beg, and to grovel at his feet until he thought it a mercy when Aran slit his throat and let the warm, scarlet fluid run over his hands.

Some Death Eaters had thought it arousing when they murdered. Bella and Rodolphus would fuck repeatedly after they tortured or killed. After the incident with the Longbottoms, they didn't emerge from their bedroom until they were called before the Dark Lord, and even then, they could scarcely keep their hands off each other.

Aran was different. Oh, not horribly so. He felt giddy, lightheaded after he killed. Yes, it was immensely pleasurable. It was like a drug that didn't go away for days. Muggles especially were his taste du jour. Hell, it was his taste, period. Whenever the Dark Lord wanted Muggles murdered, it was always Aran's immense pleasure to bow down and murmur in the most sweetly, satisfying of tones. "Yes, my Master."

Why was it so wonderful for him? Perhaps it was the knowledge they could do nothing against him. A knife? A gun? You call those weapons compared to an eight-inch birch with dragon heartstring? HA! He would crush them, fling the so-called weapons from their hands and then hold his wand up to their chins. "I could kill you right now, but I won't." he would then laugh, and usually fling them against a wall. "No." he would casually walk over to where they sat, dazed on the floor. "No, not too quick, but not too slow either. The Dark Lord wants you dead and I must kill you before the clock strikes, but not before I enjoy myself first."

He was a god in their eyes, and their god had forsaken them to die.

However, at the moment, he wanted the death of one particular wizard. He would kill the others if they got in his way. But right now he wanted Severus Snape.

This mudblood girl was his vessel of revenge. "Oh, sorry." He whispered to the empty room. "Mudblood _woman_." He chuckled.

"Master Sinistra?"

"What!" Aran turned to see the little house elf cower, and smirked to himself, pleased. "What do you want! Can't you see I'm working?"

"Master, don't be mad with Miler. Please don't be mad with Miler." The elf, dressed in a thin handbag, his legs sticking out of torn holes in it, while his head was stuck through it's straps, paled (if that was possible). "Miler just got an owl master, for you." The elf held out the letter and hid his head, flinching away for fear of being hit. Sinistra, as much as he would have loved to, was tempted to kick the creature from his sight, but refrained. He instead, snatched the letter.

"Leave, now!" Miler didn't have to be told twice as he scurried from the room. Aran lifted the letter and squinted at the scratching addressing the letter to him. He didn't recognize it, but as he turned the sealed parchment over, he recognized the mark. "Ahhh… hello, friend." He stuck his finger under the seal and broke it cleanly in two.

His face fell in the next moment. "Dear Merlin," he whispered. "It's impossible." His voice was scratchy. "That fucking bastard. Two faced, traitorous bastard! Miler!" He turned and yelled at the door of his study.

The elf, having not gone far, arrived in a flash. "Master calls for Miler?"

Sinistra sneered. "Bring me my broom, you pathetic toilet waste! It turns out I have some business to discuss with my sister."

Severus Snape paced the room and stared at nothing in particular. Albus and Aurora had long since left him to his anger, fidgeting with quiet contemplation. They did, however, give Hermione their most sincere apologies that they had to depart and leave her with the temperamental Potions Master.

Hermione pursed her lips and studied him for about an hour, watching him pace and not daring to get in his way. No one had deprived him of his wand when they left, so she felt she was in a particularly vulnerable position by being alone with him. She knew she didn't contribute to the ease of the situation.

Hermione was bound to the Potions Master. She had no idea how they were going to handle the new developments of Snape's father and sister's immanent arrival, but she had to somehow convince him that they must do it together. She was growing to care for Snape, and, whether he admitted it or not, knew that he was beginning to care for her in return. Things had been going so well! And then this morning with the Astronomy professor's arrival to the room, they found they could no longer focus on countering the _Bellulus Soporo,_ but had to deal with a rogue, uncaptured Death Eater who was out for Snape's blood.

The knock on the door didn't help. Snape paused. At first Hermione thought he'd heard the door, but then began pacing again, lost in his own thoughts.

Hermione walked behind Severus' back toward the door and opened it slowly. "Harry!" She smiled and didn't realize until just that moment that her face had been screwed up in concentration. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Go away, Potter!" Snape yelled from inside the room. Hermione's eyes flashed. Harry flinched as the door swung open enough for him to see her turn and raise a finger at the irate professor

"You listen to me!" she told Snape. "He's my friend, he's not here to see you, but me. You'll shut your trap and go back to pacing and leave us alone!"

Snape's dark eyes widened with the insult. "It may have escaped your attention, _Miss Granger_, but you and I are in great danger at the moment. The second Aran knows my father and sister is alive; he will be after all of us. Hogwarts defenses be damned, he and who knows who else will be banging at our door wanting blood."

Harry, knowing he'd missed something, lifted his fist to his mouth and coughed. That brought all attention back to him and whether he wanted it or not, he now had a captive audience. "I found something," he said and pulled out a small, red leather bound book from his back pocket.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Found something?"

"Mmm, yeah." He looked down at the book and then between Snape and Hermione. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just thought it would help." He opened the book to a marked page and handed it over to Hermione. "I don't know how far you have come in research, but Ron and I have been working night and day. We're not as good as you are, Hermione, but I have a few Dark Arts book at my disposal. Ron just happen to remember a book of fairy tales Mrs. Weasley used to read to him and Ginny when they were little and well," he shrugged, "we came up with that." He pointed to the book.

Hermione's pink lips opened in an "oh" escaped as she began reading silently to herself. Snape had stopped to stare at her as she read and when she lifted her curly mop from the parchment pages, he could tell the news wasn't good.

She sighed and handed Snape the book, but he needn't read it while she explained what was written. "It's the reverse of polarity," she said and Harry blinked.

"You know?" He was able to ask, but then paled considerably. "That means…?" he looked not only uncomfortable, but also slightly sick. "You, ummm… You…"

"Harry!" Hermione swung around and shook her head. "It was a natural thing for us to do."

Harry held his hand up and closed his eyes. His other hand held onto the doorframe and he shook his head. "I don't need to know," he murmured. "I don't need to envision it."

"Harry!" Hermione snorted a laugh, as did Snape. The sound of amusement was so unusual that it had both Harry and Hermione turning their heads in surprise. Snape glanced up from the book, looking slightly uncomfortable at the attention before returning to his reading.

"If you could envisioned half of what I am capable of doing, Potter, you would get an education you wouldn't believe." The corners of Snape's lips twitched as he turned away.

Hermione's eyes widened and she flushed scarlet at the thought of Snape doing any more than orally pleasuring her. Harry cleared his throat and as Hermione turned to him, she could see he was red as well. "I…" he coughed, as if voice was higher than he intended it to be, "I'm going to go back to the flat." He chucked his thumb over his shoulder. "I…" he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get the image of Snape and Hermione out of his head. "I'm only an owl away, 'Mione."

"Harry?" She smiled, despite the awkwardness of the situation. "Thanks… and maybe it would be a good thing _not_ to tell Ron about that part?" Harry didn't need to be asked twice as he shook his head quickly and hurriedly closed the door behind him, as if trying to escape.

Hermione turned back and narrowed her eyes, studying Snape as he was hunched over their desks, reading the book, idly chewing on a fingernail. She decided to take a chance and came up behind him, one hand running over his wool clothed waist. His head lifted and looked at her. For a moment, he just stared. His eyes wandered over her soft peach skin before he met her chocolate brown eyes with fascination and wonderment. And then the thought hit him- _Does she love me?_

His black eyes softened for a moment before he wrapped an arm around her waist as well and invited her to look at the book. "The answer is there," he said softly.

Hermione's brow shot up. "Really?" She ducked her head and began reading again. Did she miss something in her initial scan of the writing?

"You're not going to find it spelled out, Hermione." Snape snorted again in amusement and disappointed her as he pulled away and ran a hand wearily over his face.

"Then… where is it?"

"Somewhere in our twisted fate." He sighed as it suddenly became clear to him what would be required. But could he give it to her when she needed it most? It was simple to the common man, but Severus Snape was far from common.

In nearly every story they read based off of the _Bellulus Soporo, _or Sleeping Beauty, not only did the man wake his true love, but he saved her life by the end of the story. Only then did they live happily ever after. He shuddered at the thought.

"The only thing that book tells us is that showing physical affection will worsen the affect. Like an orgasmic release, it heightens the desire and want our bodies have, making the spell worse. I have one proposal-" Snape took a few steps forward and raised a hand, running it over Hermione's cheek gently. "I don't know if it'll work, but we must prove that we..." he trailed off. "That there is a strong love between us."

"Severus, do you love me?" Hermione asked quickly and he closed his eyes, his hand dropped as he pulled away. "Severus?"

Snape was very tired. He wanted nothing more than to slip in bed and forget that he ever kissed Hermione Granger and bound them both to the curse. How could he though? Her voice was imprinted onto his heart as nothing had ever been. It pained him to love though. He knew he didn't deserve it. "I… don't know," he whispered hoarsely, not looking at her. "I told you once this was not how we were supposed to come together. I despise being forced to you."

Hermione didn't quite know how to respond. She couldn't tell if Snape's words were an insult or a complement. She blinked several times and then looked away. Idly, she reached down and ran her hand over the red leather book. She closed it and read the cover:_ Wizard Children's Tales_ were all that was written there. No author or publisher. It was worn and loved; as every book should be and she let her lips lift at the thought. She wished to be worn and loved like a book, read and understood, reread and discovered again and again. How often had she spent a lonely night cuddling her arms around parchment and words? How many rainy days had she lain in bed and just sighed at the pleasure?

"Make love to me tonight?" she whispered and slowly, Snape turned to face her, his eyes dark with curiosity. "Let's see what happens. I won't force you. I simply ask."

Snape considered. It was their last chance to try and break the spell before the inevitable occurred. Before Auster and Melinda Snape arrived at Hogwarts to reunite with him and he had to once again find a hiding place for them. It would be immensely easier to do this without Hermione tied to him.

But why did the thought of leaving Hermione behind cause him so much pain. He couldn't leave her. She needed him… didn't she?

"Very well," he whispered at the same time he encircled her waist with his arms and brought her to him, cradling her close. "We'll see what happens."


	21. The Lion of Bodice Rippers

I would not be surprised if I've lost many of my reviewers and fans in the seven months since I updated. And because I'm so eager to get this chapter published, I have forgone having it beta-ed. I ask for forgiveness to my beta readers. You may yell at me all you like.

As always, I own nothing and am grateful for everything!

--Reason

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Chapter 21- The Lion of Bodice Rippers

Severus Snape was not a romantic. Not by nature, breeding or study. He never dated in school or after and the only thing he'd ever flirted with was the Dark Arts.

However, if anything could be said for him, he was a fast learner.

He'd called for a good dinner from the Hogwarts kitchens. One that wasn't too filling or too fattening. One that was tastefully spiced and abundantly favorable. Chicken, dashed with lemon and pepper, a side of green salad and vegetable, a small slice of sweet, white cake for desert.

There also had to be wine. It wouldn't do to have a proper dinner without a tad bit of wine to accent the meal. He chose red which was slightly bitter to the taste buds and made the chicken all the more delicious.

Candles? Well, the castle was lit by candles, so the romance in that wasn't quite as potent. Roses? The strong smelling flower made him sneeze more often than not, so he decided to not bother. This wasn't a game of seduction for him, but a matter of creating a proper mood for Hermione to be comfortable in.

Hermione summoned a small package, but refused to open it when the house elf delivered it to her. She offered a couple sickles to the creature, much to Snape's amusement, and also to no avail as the elf dashed out of the way lest she try to give him clothes as well.

"Why do you try?" Snape asked with a sneer. "Don't you realize it is their nature to be servants?"

"Just like it's in your nature to be snarky?" she retorted.

Snape merely raised an eyebrow. "C'est la vie" he whispered at the return jibe.

Hermione placed a hand on her hip and sighed deeply, trying to keep control of herself. "You've ordered dinner, yes?" At Snape's nod she looked towards the bathroom. "Do you mind if I bathe before?"

Snape looked up and smirked. "You may." He gave permission and stood. "I suppose I'll take advantage of it as well."

Hermione gathered her things and walked with him through the door, "I'll let you go first. I'd like to bathe… soak. I'm a bit nervous."

"Understandably." Snape let go of Hermione's hand as they enter the smaller room and walked over, turning on the water for a shower and began undressing.

Hermione turned her back dutifully. "There are a lot of things on our mind."

Snape glanced over his shoulder as he pulled his over coat and shirt off. "Yes." He agreed. "Your point."

"Do you want to talk about them?"

Snape paused before he stepped into the shower. "And what in Merlin's name would that do?"

"It might help… solve problems, think more clearly about it. What are you going to do when your father and sister get here?"

Snape sighed and stepped fully under the spray of water. "I'm going to take them somewhere safe." He said.

"Where will that be?"

"Where no one knows where they are. Including you, Hermione." He ran the soap over his torso and neither region, soap delightfully rinsing away any excess oil on his skin.

"Not if I'm still bound to you."

To that, Snape remained quiet until he stepped back out, shutting off the water. Hermione glanced into the mirror and all she saw was a blurred mist covering the surface. She reached out and wiped a hand over it, and startled when Snape, a towel wrapped around his waist and his black hair dripping with water was standing directly behind her.

"Calm down." He insisted, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Here." He reached to the sink and took his wand from the counter. "Allow me." He flicked his wand and the water began to pour into the tub portion, scented bubbles billowing from its depths.

"Thank you." She whispered and slipped around him. She couldn't meet his eye and he noticed. A sense of fear and anticipation.

"I've taken the liberty to place a relaxation potion in your bath. It'll help calm you." He assured and he heard her pull the curtain as she stepped in.

"Thank you. Oh!" She slipped into the bubbles and he heard a grateful sigh of relief as her body entered the nearly too hot water. "Oh, that's nice."

Snape couldn't help but smirk. He was happy he'd pleased her and it gave his belly just a slight jump of delight. "If you're still bound to me, you'll come as well, but I'm afraid I'll insist on obliviation."

"Huh? Oh!" Hermione hummed at this and sighed audibly. "You know I don't like that."

"You won't remember why you don't like it. You'll be fine." He insisted. "Please, it's for the best." He began dressing and looked in the mirror at himself. From beyond, he could see the upper portion of Hermione's body- arms, shoulders and head sticking out of the tub silhouetted against the curtain.

"Will I be what your sister and father expect?" she asked and Snape could hear her voice becoming drowsy. He smiled that the affects of the potion in the bath were having a relaxing effect.

"My sister, maybe. My father..." he paused and sighed. "My father's opinion doesn't matter." He slid his shirt on and sat on a bench near the bathtub to button it. "He pushed me extra hard, blamed me for my mother's death." He stopped buttoning his shirt. Why would he tell her such dribble? So she'd feel sorry for him. That he didn't need! "No matter. I know he didn't expect me to end up with a Mu- A muggleborn girl."

Hermione pushed the curtain aside after a moment. "I'm sorry I'm not what you hoped you would find." It was said softly, sadly. The comment more degrading of herself than being upset with him.

Snape looked down at her. He could just see her face, her bushy hair and part of her upper arm beyond the curtain. "I didn't dare hope." He said with such conviction that he could tell it caught her by surprise. "The risks were too great." He looked down at the buttons of his shirt. "Perhaps I _did_ need to be pushed. I would never been motivated to speak to you about such matters as... relationships."

Hermione laughed softly. "Then it may have been a good thing, then... the curse?"

Snape snorted. "I've never said it was a bad thing- simply inconvenient."

Hermione was silent for a long moment. "It usually is. Love doesn't give many people choices in the matter." She paused "Hmm... I feel much better. Turn your back?" Hermione asked as she put her hands on either side of the tub and began to push herself up. When Snape simply continued to gaze at her she tilted her head. "Yes?"

"I don't want to turn." He stated plainly.

Hermione blinked and then smiled shyly as she pushed herself up out of the tub. The dribbles of water falling back into the pool as she pulled the plug and her naked body was silhouetted against the beige curtain. She slowly slid it aside and asked for a towel at the same time. He reached over to a rack and grabbed one of the fluffy, full towels but when he handed it to her, he didn't let go.

"Let me?" he asked and again Hermione blushed, looking down.

"I...If...you'd like?" Hermione smiled all too shyly and closed her eyes, trying to keep her cheeks from burning hot.

"I'd like it very much." He whispered, his voice sounding entrancingly seductive.

He unfolded the towel and reached out, lifting Hermione's chin. "Please, look at me?" He whispered and leaned in, kissing the corner of her mouth before pulling away. She opened her eyes and his smile made her heart leap in her chest. They didn't break eye contact as he wrapped the towel around her body.

He started with her shoulders, rubbing the moisture away with a gentle circular motion. He then worked his way down her arms, the towel still covering her front, though his eyes had yet to leave her face. When she looked up at him, the dark eyes seemed hooded and deep. Black pools she would drown in if she let herself.

He helped her step out of the tub and turned her, finally breaking the eye contact to rub the water from her back. She felt like a mummy with her arms fastened to her sides by the towel which he never removed. The act would seem so chaste if she wasn't naked underneath, or that they intended to do more than just this tonight or even that they were bound by a magical curse. She finally felt the towel move away from her skin and a feather-like brush on the back of her neck. She turned her head just enough to see Severus Snape's still slightly wet dark hair brushing her shoulder and sensed the feather touch were his lips. She gasped at the chill it caused along her body despite having just emerged from a warm bath. His lips then worked they're way down her spine, kissing at ever bump of vertebrae until he came to the slight crease of her bottom. He patted her bottom dry and she suddenly felt uneasy on her feet. The warmth and potion from the bath had clearly worked its effects efficiently as she wobbled and Snape rose quickly to steady her. "Easy." She could hear the smile in his voice and she shook her head as she turned.

The towel was now on the floor and she smirked as she looked down at it. "I think you missed some spots." She teased and bent to pick it up. Snape didn't stop her, standing less than a foot away, he watched warily as she did so. He gazed upon her shapely body, the curving at the base of the spine and folding of her stomach as she did so. His breath caught in arousal simply by that simple movement.

"By all means, let me finish then." He reached for the towel, opening it up again to lie over her body to take the droplets of water away. His eyes again focused on hers. Eyes the color of aged brandy that made him feel so drunk that his heart pounded forcefully in his ears with the euphoria.

Her nipples perked to his delicate touch under the towel and Hermione actually closed her eyes and gasped. Snape cupped them under the towel and smiled as he leaned down, kissing the tops of each pale knoll with those soft lips again.

"You're being evil." Hermione pronounced in a husky whisper and again Snape rose.

"You're point?" He raised a brow. "Are you relaxed?" He asked.

Hermione opened her eyes and for the first time noted he hadn't buttoned his shirt up completely. She reached up and slipped her fingers between the folds, touching his bare chest and nodded. "I feel really good. Very relaxed, though the nerves are still there, I'm not as... scared."

Snape nodded and continued his blind drying efforts, but in a new and creative manner. He took the one step required for their bodies to meet and wrapped his arms around her, his body binding the towel between them as he pressed up against her. His head dipped and he kissed her, hard and deep, and with a moan of arousal she wasn't sure was his or hers.

Her fingers swiped the shirt from Snape's shoulders easily, but could go no further because of his arms around her. She felt the warmth of his skin and the soft, yet rapid beat of his heart. Her fingers gripped and rubbed, feeling the muscle underneath in a rough massage. He could feel her eagerness- her desire- and it was intoxicating.

"Hermione..." he broke away and his breath landed hot on her lips because he was so close, "I need... I can't wait."

Hermione's eyes widened a little and she smiled. "I suppose we'll forgo dinner you ordered?"

"And the package of lingerie you sent for?" He retorted and chuckled at her blush. "No reason not to eat after... and model the lingerie on another occasion."

"Tonight is special though." She heard herself saying in a small voice.

"And it will be." Snape said gently, raising a hand and to rub the back of his fingers over her cheek.

He stepped away then and let his shirt fall along with the towel to the floor. Then, like the best bodice ripper Hermione had ever read, he leaned over, placed his arm under her knees and lifted her easily and naked from the floor. She had to laugh then, with him shirtless as they walked over the threshold and her completely void of clothing, it was such a ridiculous sight in her mind she couldn't help but be amused.


	22. A Foreseen Change

Wow! 2 chapters in as many weeks. I'm so proud of myself! I can see the end of this story soon. Please bear with me folks! Predictions are welcomed in the reviews. I'd love to see where you guys think this story is heading. Severusgirl, that goes for you too!

Disclaimer- I do not own them! I love them, and play with them. I'll give them back when I'm done. Promise.

-Reason

* * *

Chapter 22- A Foreseen Change

Hermione could count on Severus Snape to be slow and particularly attentive. She would think about this later when she lay in the afterglow of it all and ran her hands through his hair.

For now, her thoughts of studying him like a book flew out the window when she found she was the one being studied, observed and interpreted. His hands would brush her body and her reactions would lead to what he did next. The tips of his fingers on her breasts lead to gentle cupping, which lead to his lips suckling her with her own moans filling both their ears.

Her body heated and when she thought it would cool, he drove the temperature up just a bit higher. It was almost too much to take and she arched, pulling away when Snape touched her center. He cooed through the storm raging in her head and whispered softly in her ear as he pulled her back, touched her again and her body flashed, blazed and lit up the night sky.

From a scientific study of the events, Hermione hated that she wouldn't remember specific details hours later. Just... odd things, like the way their candle lit shadows separated and came together on the wall. Maybe the slight twinge of pain and then burst of pleasure deep in her belly when he joined her. Or maybe even the brief feeling of his hand resting comfortably on her cheek as she looked up. A few minutes later she saw his eyes darken to opaque before he leaned over and kissed her.

She looked at him now and her body felt limber and now, finally cooling except where he was touching her. Snape sensed her eyes upon him and slowly lifted the black orbs. "Stop thinking," he murmured and reached around her, pulling her lips to his and kissing her fiercely.

Hermione laughed and drowned herself in the kiss. _Hell,_ she thought,_ that kiss would make me forget my own name._ "I can't help it," she purred and cuddled closer. "You didn't cry out."

Snape lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"When you..." she ducked her head self-consciously and heard Snape's low chuckle.

"If you're afraid I didn't enjoy it, you're very mistaken." He lifted the blankets over them and noted the time on the bedside table. Nearly six in the evening, their dinner would be arriving soon. He hoped the house elves had the sense to not deliver the food personally. He curled an arm over the blanket and tucked Hermione close to him. "I don't tend to... cry out in pleasure or pain."

"You did when you fell through the door," she observed and slowly, Snape nodded.

"I may have. I can't recall," he answered honestly. "It was unexpected and surprising. I suppose, looking at this... I knew what to expect, I knew yet I was still surprised." He offered her a smile and she felt her heart thump in joy as he did so.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked and Hermione laughed again.

"I _did_ cry out and yet you doubt?" she asked in vast amusement. "Yes... Yes I did. I hope we'll be able to..." she trailed off and sniffed the air. Nearly at the exact same time her stomach gave a loud grumbling.

When Snape looked over her shoulder, he saw that the table was set with dinner and while mating was a basic instinct, so was the desire for food and nourishment. "Dinner," he said unnecessarily, "is served."

-------------------

The evening air chilled Aran's skin. He noticed nothing however as his mind burned in anger and kept him warm. He sat as at the Three Broomsticks and nursed his fire whisky slowly, like a babe. He looked around a few times, but his eyes held no suspicions, no nervousness, just burning anger. The waiter was pleased that he'd not yet had to replace his drink.

He would have gone to the Hogs Head, at least there, his anger and attitude in general would have passed unnoticed by most of the patrons, but he was too good for a place like that. And it smelled, he noted once when he had gone there, of goats.

Besides, he didn't care at the moment if he was notice, or remembered. He reached under his coat and stroked his wand lovingly while his other hand lifted his glass to his lips. After tonight, he would forfeit his life anyway. Let them remember him... and if they are so inclined, let them fear him.

He waited and calculated when they would be arriving in Hogsmeade. They wouldn't be going directly to the school anyway. They had lived too long without him knowing to suddenly make an appearance at Hogwarts. As if thought provoked, the August wind blew as the door opened and whipped around a light cloak of a young woman. Well, maybe not young by many standards. Her eyes were dark obsidian, her hair just as black, but sleek and long, curled in waves on either shoulder. She pulled her hood down and glanced around. After a moment, she spotted Madam Rosmerta. He tried not to watch, but it was rather amazing to him how much she looked like Aurora.

He knew without a doubt this was Melinda Snape. He sat deathly still as he observed her making arrangements with Rosmerta, they settled on payment and Melinda left again. Aran nodded, stood and walked over to Rosmerta as she ran a rag over the bar to clean it.

"That'll be six Sickles," and Aran placed a Galleon on the bar in front of her. "I'll get your change," She reached out and Aran grasped her wrist. The barmaid's eyes slowly slid up.

"Keep it..." he murmured. "And tell me when that woman is coming back."

Rosmerta's eyes narrowed and she sneered. "It's none of your business, sir." She yanked her wrist away and slid to the money box, pulling out his change and throwing it on the counter, "And if you're wise, you'll stay away from my patrons."

Aran growled and left his change on the bar. He whipped around then rushed through the door into Hogsmeade, throwing it open with a loud bang. No, he wouldn't be forgotten in the Three Broomsticks soon.

He scanned the street, up and down and finally caught sight of a green cloak on the edge of the street, turning into an alleyway. He raced through the crowd and then swore, for when he turned, she was gone. "Apperated," He murmured and narrowed his eyes. "Don't worry; I know you'll be back, Melinda." He told the thin air.

Only a howl of wind across the alley answered.

-------------------

Melinda clutched her cloak to her, yet shivered. She felt the danger. She had for a very long time. All witches and wizards had a sixth sense, but they still called her sense paranoia.

"Father?" she slipped her hood down when she entered the small room they'd rented in Stratford upon Avon. The Muggle bed and breakfast was equipped with a small television she found Auster watching when she entered and it made her smile.

Living like Muggles for nearly 20 years was a hard habit to break. She pulled out a small bag and gave it to him, "Your fries, sir." She offered them to him and the older man grinned.

"I'm going to miss these," he told his daughter, "Greasy as hell, salty, but damn good when they're hot." He pulled out his wand and rewarmed them to sizzling before spreading them out on a napkin and beginning to munch. "Did you reserve a room in Hogsmeade?" He asked, his mind half on the television.

"I did." She couldn't help but shiver a little and it caught Auster's attention enough to frown and reach for the remote, turning off the television.

"What is it?" He trusted Melinda's gifts. Her paranoia had saved their lives too many times in the past for him not to. "A vision?"

Melinda pulled off her cloak and laid it over the end of the bed before sitting. "No, just a feeling of death," She whispered and shook her head. "Like the night when mother died." She said it aloud before she could stop herself and looked at her father. "I'm sorry."

Auster waved off the reminder, "Who's? Do you know?"

"Not Severus'," Was all she could say. "No, he's safe."

"Someone close though?" Auster poked and questioned. Sometimes the feeling became clearer to her.

"Very close, but not?" She looked up and her eyes come across haunted, the old wizard noted. "It doesn't make sense," she shrugged uneasily.

"Our lives haven't made sense for twenty years." Auster reached out and placed his left hand over hers.

Melinda looked down. It still made her a tad uneasy to see the finger and the ring missing from his hand since the nightmare had begun twenty years ago. To block it from view, she laid her right hand easily over his. "I want to go home, father."

"Your feeling? Do you think it's an omen?"

Taking a deep, rushing breath, Melinda swallowed, "Whether we go home or not, someone will die tomorrow."


	23. So Close

Readers,

Please don't be too upset with me. I love this story and have neglected it for way too long. I have the ending in my mind and have for a long time. Getting it written, on paper and the events leading up is the most difficult thing I've done in a while. Since I started this story before Books 6 and 7 were released and it was based in a world of "What ifs" after book 4 through a game I played, this story has never been canon. Thank you for continuing to read and enjoying my world of "what ifs".

Many thanks,

Reason

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Chapter 23

The storm that raged that morning would have made any good Caribbean hurricane proud. The wind blew and whipped the cloaks of several residents of Hogsmeade every-which-way. As well as the weather being blinding, the only way Aran could watch for Melinda and Auster Snape was to be inside the Three Broomsticks. That wasn't possible at all because Rosmerta made it painfully clear that morning that he was not welcome in her fine establishment. A hazard of making it clear he was after one of her patrons. Hind sight was always 20/20.

There was one good way to handle this however and it occurred to him just a moment before Aurora entered the empty shop. The old bell rang and dust fell from as it tinkled, allowing the wind to catch it and swirl the dust around the doorway. "_Imperio_!" The bell tinkled again and the door slammed closed.

Aurora Sinistra wavered where she stood. She blinked several times and then stared blankly. The internal fight was on, yet the magic always won. Aran smiled, "So glad you could come and visit me, Aurora, after I asked you to join me here. I'm sure this wasn't your intention. In fact, I know you were going to tell me which way to stick my wand up my ass, but as you can see, I beat you to the punch." He circled around her slowly, his hand running along her neck and scooping up her long black hair, letting it fall back in its place strand by strand. "I have a chore for you, sister. I want you to go into the Three Broomsticks. I want you to watch for a wizard couple. One, and older man with black lanky hair. The other, a woman just a bit older than you. Both have obsidian eyes and look much like Severus Snape. When they arrive, I want you to find out their room number and return to me here." Here being a deserted shop in Knockturn alley. "It's very simple. Do you understand?"

Aurora's eyes shifted slowly to Aran's, "Yes." She said shakily.

Then, to be extra cruel, stabbing the knife in a little further and twisting, Aran's grin turned wicked, "I'm going to kill your father, Aurora. Then your sister… and finally your dear brother, Severus Snape."

Tears welled up in the woman's eyes, but didn't fall. Aran smiled, very pleased with himself. "Go on now."

Aurora swallowed hard, blinked away the tears and tried like mad to fight the unforgivable curse. She nodded and turned away. Aran watched her open the door of the small shop and smiled to himself as he settled back and poured himself a fire whiskey. He was rather pleased with himself.

* * *

Sinistra walked straight to the Three Broomsticks through the stinging rain and wind. Her heart was beating fast and felt as though it might explode in her chest. Once inside the establishment, she casually hung her wet robe up near a fire and took a table in the corner. The waiter approached the table with a couple of long strides and she couldn't even look up at him. "Pumpkin juice. Add rum. Lots." She mumbled to him and kept her head bowed, pushing coin enough for more than one drink towards him. He nodded and went off, returning moments later with the concoction. The drink burned her throat and she closed her eyes. _I deserve more pain than this_, she thought, and let the rum burn.

Each time the door swung open, she jumped. She kept biting her lip until she tasted blood and then she held each sip of spiked juice in her mouth causing pain in the split of her lip. More pain, she needed more pain. Something had to break the Imperius. She felt the tears fill her eyes and took a deep breath, pushing back her emotions. Keep a clear head, she kept telling herself, but it was difficult.

Especially when she looked up and found the grey shadow produced was one of a couple she knew. She held back a cry and stood abruptly, the chair falling and causing attention to be drawn to her. She stared for a moment until their attention was on her as well.

Briskly, holding Hermione's hand, Snape walked over to Sinistra and narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?" His voice was dark with warning.

She swallowed, her eyes wide and her heart pounding even harder in her ears. "I…" She couldn't speak and shivered visibly.

"Severus…" Hermione touched Snape's shoulder and he looked at her. Sinistra could see the tenderness in their eyes as they exchanged looks. "She's scared."

Sinistra had barely time to process what was happening when she gasped, staring at Hermione as the young woman studied her in return. "You're no longer a virgin." She said to Hermione with the clearness of women's intuition in her eyes. "What's happened to the spell? Is it broken?"

Snape narrowed his eyes as he turned back. This realization wouldn't get the woman out of answering his question. "No, you will answer our question first." He reached out and clasped a hand over Sinistra's shoulder while Hermione picked up her chair from the floor courteously. Aurora swallowed and again her eyes widened in clear fear. She shook slightly and Snape's eyes narrowed even further. "Aurora...? Were you sent here?"

Sinistra winced and shook, her whole frame convulsing as she rocked her head back and forth. Snape immediately reached for his wand and Hermione gasped, clutching his arm, impeding him from casting. "What's happening? What's wrong?"

"Hermione, don't..."

It was too late as Sinistra pulled her wand. Her voice hot and unnerved. "_Expelliarmus!_" Snape's wand flew out of his hand and across the bar room, landing on the plate of a rather obese wizard. Hermione just caught the wizard's upset look as he slowly lifted his head from his meal. It distracted her enough that she was knocked down by the table hitting her back. She yelled in pain and went sprawling. Her eyes shut tight as she felt her arm twist under her and snap.

Snape turned in an instant grunted, clenching his left arm and hissing. "Damn it!" he said between his teeth. He turned and watched Sinistra dash across the room and reached down, pulling Hermione's wand from her robes. "_Stupefy!_" he shouted a moment before she reached the door. The red bolt seemed to almost knock Sinistra forward. She hit the door face first and slid down it. Her blood-red robes drifting down like a cloud around her as the Astronomy professor hit the floor.

The chaos in the tavern erupted. Madam Rosmerta nearly hopped over the bar before she remembered herself and stomped around it towards the mess. "Professor Snape! What is the meaning of this! Why are you stunning other Hogwarts faculty in my establishment?"

She started walking towards Sinistra and Snape stepped forward, grasping the barmaid's arm, "She under the Imperious. Please, step back." He murmured and Rosmerta's eyes widened. "Please, take care of Miss Granger, her arm is broken." He told the tavern owner and her, with half an eye on the potions master, did so.

He bent carefully, narrowing his eyes and pushed Sinistra over. Her robes covering her face, he used Hermione's wand to lift the cloth and then studied her for other damage he may have caused besides that of the stupefy and fall. He tried to be gentle, knowing the harm the professor caused was not of her own doing. He found a bruise forming over her right eye as well as a sheet of paper tucked inside her robes as he pulled them off. "Is there some place we can put Professor Sinistra until she awakens?" he asked without looking up and kneeled next to the other professor.

A hand rested on his shoulder and a voice softly confirmed, "Our room, Severus."

* * *

Hermione felt herself lifted and she groaned as the movement jostled her broken arm. "It's okay," the deep comforting voice murmured and she lifted her eyes.

"Severus? I'm sorry, I must have passed out." She frowned, "I can walk." She wiggled her legs, but Snape would have none of it.

"For the moment, you'll be carried."

"Should I call for a healer, Severus?" Hermione recognized Rosmerta's compassionate voice.

"No, it's just a break. I can handle it. A room, please, Madam?" Hermione tried to look over his shoulder, but her vision was blocked by his dark robes.

"Of course, this way." She circled around Snape and led them up the stairs. Hermione noted the wizards and witches with their drinks eyeing the couple as they ascended and she blushed deeply, the heat coming to her cheeks from the uncomfortable stares.

Her eyes quickly returned to Snape's face. "Professor Sinistra…?" She whispered and he pursed his lips, tersely shaking his head. The indication was clear she should wait to ask her question. Hermione caught the hint and delayed her curiosity until she was lying down on a bed and they were left alone, the door secured. "Well?"

"She's in another room, I stupefied her. She is under the Imperious. It was a well performed Imperious, but one that was left too open for interpretation. She had to run from us or else be found out." He knelt next to the bed and lifted her arm gently, turning it as he held Hermione's wand in his right hand. He pointed it at her injury, pausing a moment, "The _Bellulus Soporo_ isn't broken yet," he said without looking at her. His dark eyes instead studied her arm, "_Episkey."_

Hermione hissed as her arm suddenly became hot, then chillingly cold. She laid her right hand over the spot of the break as Snape pulled away and rubbed the same spot on his arm. As the Potion's Master stood he shook his left arm vigorously as if to work blood into it. "What's wrong?" She asked, frowning at his behavior.

"Oh, _nothing!_ Absolutely, bloody nothing!" He tested his hand and looked down at it, shaking it again. "Damn, bloody, frigging curse!" He sat down on the bed, opening and closing his left hand repeatedly. "I felt you break your arm. I've had enough bones broken to know." He finally looked up and met her eyes. "Now, it appears, we're connected on a more intimate level." He sighed in exasperated angry. "I'm not willing to test separation, but I bet it would kill us both if one of us were to walk out of a room."

Hermione's eyes stayed level with his, "I'm not willing to test it." She assured him. "Don't worry."

The last bit was enough for Snape to snort, "Thank you." He paused and looked up at the door, studying it hard. "Sinistra is in my sister and father's room. We didn't even say hello before they took her there."

Hermione glanced towards the door. She sensed something in Snape's voice and knew enough of him now to sense he was uneasy. Who wouldn't be? She reached forward and touched his arm. The gesture he knew was to be reassuring. He tried to take comfort in it as he looked down at her small hand on his black robes and reached up to lay his right hand over hers. "I know I won't be alone, but that doesn't make it any easier." He murmured.

Hermione's lips quirked, "If I could make it easier, I would. I know I can't so I'll simply stand by you."

Snape turned and his dark eyes considered her, studied her face while a million questions drifted across his own. As if he had an answer, he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. He would take his time to taste her before he had to face the inevitable. He was gentle and needy all at the same time and caused a familiar fire to stir in Hermione's belly. She almost had the nerve to suggest they stay in the room and enjoy it while they had the chance, but knew she was being cowardly on his behalf.

As if sensing it, Snape pulled away, "Make me stay here, Hermione."

"You know I would if it was best for you."

Snape slowly nodded and stood, pulling on her hand and helping her to stand as well. "Do you feel disoriented?" He asked, all business now.

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine." Her voice was too steady.

"Let's go." He pulled her the rest of the way up and towards the door.


End file.
